Federal Court affirms 30-year sentence for ex-Rela member who shot dead friend at Terengganu temple

“PUTRAJAYA, May 20 — The Federal Court today upheld the 30-year jail sentence of a former Rela member for shooting dead his good friend, who was also the former Marang MCA Division chief, at a temple in Terengganu, five years ago. A three-judge panel chaired by Datuk Rhodzariah Bujang unanimously dismissed the appeal of Ong Chow Lee, 62, to set aside the murder conviction decided by the Court of Appeal on July 2, 2025. “The court finds that the appellant’s appeal has no merit. Accordingly, the appeal is dismissed,” she said, sitting with Justices Datuk Lee Swee Seng and Datuk Ravinthran Paramaguru. On July 9, 2024, the Kuala Terengganu High Court sentenced Ong to 30 years in prison after pleading guilty to murdering Fong Swee Fuan, 65, at a Chinese temple in Taman Raya Wakaf Tapai, Marang between 1.20pm and 1.55pm on July 23, 2021, under Section 302 of the Penal Code. Ong was also sentenced to 13 years in prison after pleading guilty to attempting to murder the victim’s nephew, Teo Hock Beng, 48, who was shot in the left arm at 1.55pm, on July 23, 2021 under Section 307 of the Penal Code. Both prison sentences will run concurrently from the date of his arrest on July 23, 2021. However, Ong did not appeal against the attempted murder charge of Teoh. The Court of Appeal on July 2, 2025 dismissed the appellant’s appeal against the conviction and sentence and confirmed the previous decision of the High Court. During the appeal, Ong asked the Court of Appeal to send back his case to the High Court for a retrial, arguing that he had been influenced by his former lawyer to plead guilty, believing that he would only receive a 15-year prison sentence, when the minimum sentence for murder was 30 years. Earlier, lawyer Ahmad Ridzuan Awang argued that there were errors of fact and law when the High Court Judge accepted Ong’s guilty plea without explaining the nature and consequences of the accused’s guilty plea. He said the notes of the proceedings recorded that the High Court Judge carefully offered the accused a Chinese interpreter, but Ong chose to hear the two charges under Section 302 of the Penal Code for murder and Section 307 of the Penal Code for attempted murder in Bahasa Malaysia. “The use of Bahasa Malaysia in reading the charge does not allow the court to assume that the accused has understood the charge against him and understands the nature and consequences of his guilty plea,” he said. Deputy Public Prosecutor Eyu Ghim Siang argued that Ong’s guilty plea was clearly orderly and in accordance with legal procedures, apart from the appellant saying he understood the nature and consequences of the guilty plea. “It is unreasonable and there is no reason for the court or the lawyer to deny the appellant’s right to obtain the services of an interpreter on the day of the proceedings because the proceedings notes clearly show that a Chinese interpreter was provided and present on that day. “The court found it clear that the appellant was questioned several times and he confirmed himself that he understood the Malay language and did not need a Chinese interpreter and was also represented by a lawyer during the proceedings,” he said. — Bernama

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