By Dorcas Ting
KUCHING, July 7: A 20-year-old man was fined RM3,000, or nine months’ imprisonment in default, by the Magistrate’s Court here today after pleading guilty to uploading a TikTok video promoting the unlawful society known as ‘Geng 24’.
The accused admitted to the charge before Magistrate Ling Hui Chuan. He was charged under Section 47 of the Societies Act 1966 for possessing, without lawful authority, a depiction related to an unlawful society in the form of a video uploaded to the TikTok account @shrek2424.
The offence was committed at a house in Kampung Sungai Midin, Semerah Padi, at about 8.50am on March 3, 2025. The offence carries a maximum penalty of two years’ imprisonment, a fine of up to RM5,000, or both.
According to the prosecution’s case, a police officer attached to the D7 Division of the Criminal Investigation Department at the Sarawak Police Contingent Headquarters discovered the video while conducting online monitoring on March 3, 2025.
The video was found to contain symbols and imagery associated with the banned secret society, which investigators concluded were intended to promote the group’s identity and activities.
Police arrested the accused the following day and seized two mobile phones during the operation.
Investigations established that the TikTok account belonged to the accused, who admitted to uploading the video featuring the society’s symbols.
He further admitted that he had attended a religious ceremony organised by the group in Lundu in 2023, although he said he had never paid any membership fees.
During investigations, the accused also claimed he was no longer affiliated with Geng 24.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Muhammad Afiq Safly Kazly appeared for the prosecution, while the accused was represented by lawyers Ralph Lee and Christopher Bada. — DayakDaily
