GEORGE TOWN, March 11 ― The 16 men who intruded the Penang state legislative assembly building in May last year admitted to an alternative charge of criminal trespassing today and were each slapped fines between RM1,000 and RM1,500 by a magistrate's court here.

A total 15 of the men, who were initially charged on June 19 last year for house trespass, were fined RM1,500 each while another man, former Kampung Rawana Umno branch youth chief Wan Norazman Ariffin, who was later charged in September last year, was fined RM1,000.

The 15 men are Mohd Ridzwan Bakar, 54, Hisham Ahmad Sabri, 43, Afriz Mohd Noor, 36, Rosesarwandi Saad @ Yaacob, 33, Mohd Rizuad Mohd Azudin, 37, Hisham Abdul Hamid, 38, Mohd Nashrol Hisham Abdullah, 38, Azmeal Abu Bakar, 42, Mohd Yusmadi Mohd Yusof, 34, Mohamad Hilmie Ibrahim, 37, Jasmin Noordin, 40, Nordin Wahab, 41, Mohamed Ghani Abd Jiman, 48, Wan Abidin Zain, 51, and Mohamed Ibrahim A Siahoo, 31.

All 16 were offered an alternative charge of criminal trespass today for breaching the assembly building at about 1.30pm on May 21 last year with the intention of intimidating House secretary, M Maheswari.

The alternative charge was read under Section 447 of the Penal Code, which carries a jail term of up to six months each or a fine of up to RM3,000 or both upon conviction.

They were previously charged under Section 448 of the Penal Code for house trespass, which carries a jail term of up to three years, or a fine of up to RM5,000 fine or both upon conviction.

Today, the men admitted to the alternative charge and immediately paid the fines imposed by Magistrate Catherine Nicholas.

According to the facts of the case, which the men admitted to, they started gathering in front of the front gate of the August House at 1.30pm that day while shouting for state assemblyman RSN Rayer to demand for his apology for his remarks made in the state assembly.

The group shook the main gate, which was closed at that time, and forcibly opened it, and in the process, damaged the automatic mechanism.

After breaking through the gate, the group dashed into the hall in search of Rayer.

The incident took place after a demonstration outside the state assembly grounds over DAP representative Rayer's controversial “Celaka Umno” remark during the assembly sitting on May 20 and during a ceramah in the Bukit Gelugor by-election on May 22.

Rayer was subsequently charged for sedition and intentional insult for allegedly saying those words at two Sessions Court here on last August 27.

He was first charged under Section 4(1)(b) of the Sedition Act 1948 and also faced an alternative charge under Section 504 of the Penal Code for intentional insult with intent to provoke a breach of the peace.

The Sedition Act carries a jail term of up to five years or a fine of up to RM5,000 or both while Section 504 carries a maximum jail term of two years or a fine or both.