KOTA SAMARAHAN: A former member of Parliament was among 25 people charged at the magistrate's court here today for committing cruelty to animals.
They were among 320 people arrested during a police raid on a cockfighting gambling pit in Sarawak recently.
Datuk Sing Chee Hua, 70, and 24 others pleaded guilty when they were produced before magistrate Marutin Pagan.
Sing, who is the former Julau MP-turned businessman and the rest of the accused, aged between 20 and 63, were sentenced to a RM500 fine each, in default of one week's jail.
They were convicted under Section 3(1) of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Ordinance 1962, which carries the maximum RM500 fine and jail of up to three months.
They pleaded guilty to committing the offence at a warehouse in Taman Berlian, the venue of a cockfighting gambling pit, at 3.35pm on Feb 5.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Nor Azhari Yusof prosecuted, while counsel Arthur Lee appeared on behalf of Sing.
The other 24 accused were unrepresented.