Nine charged with encroaching Sik forest reserve

Nine individuals have been charged for encroaching on the Rimba Teloi forest reserve in Sik, Kedah.

The accused are Tho Wei Loon (45), Chen Wei Ming (45), Zarhabi Shaari (61) and Abdul Halim Nawang (61) - who are all Malaysian citizens.

Four Indonesian nationals - Aswadi (43), Dedy Junaidi (40), Muhamad Zaenuri (31) and Nasron (51) - were also charged along with Chinese national Li Juemin (49).

They were charged under Section 47(1) of the National Forestry Act 1984 for entering a forest reserve without a permit.

If found guilty, they can be fined no more than RM10,000, jailed for up to three years, or both.

According to Astro Awani, the accused pleaded not guilty before Baling Sessions Court judge Najwa Che Mat.

The accused were freed on bail, aside from Dedy Junaidi, Muhamad Zaenuri and Nasron.

Li was slapped with an additional charge of violating Regulation 39(b) of the Immigration Regulations 1963 for violating his social visit pass.

He was accused of taking and performing tests on soil samples retrieved from the forest.

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