Man in Kuching fined for unlawful possession of scheduled weapons

KUCHING (Nov 4) A 31-year-old man from Sibu was fined RM500 in default one month in jail at the Magistrates’ Court here today after pleading guilty to unlawful possession of scheduled weapons.

Magistrate Syarifah Fatimah Azura Wan Ali imposed the fine on Richard Lau Lik Chai, who was charged under Section 37(1) of the Minor Offences Ordinance Sarawak 1958.

Lau committed the offence at a house in Jalan Setia Raja in Tabuan Jaya here at around 1.25am on Sept 17, 2024.

Based on the facts of the case, police conducted a search inside the house, witnessed by Lau, and found several scheduled weapons stored in a storeroom under the stairs in the living room.

Among the weapons were 29 machetes measuring between 43 and 58 centimetres (cm); 16 guandao swords, each 136cm long; four sickles measuring 100cm; two meat cleavers, each 113cm long; and two axes measuring 38cm.

Following the discovery, Lau was arrested and the weapons were seized.

During mitigation, Lau through his lawyer Ralph Lee, submitted to the court that the weapons belonged to another man who is currently untraceable by the police and that Lau was merely renting the house.

Lee also stated that Lau was unaware that the weapons were illegal and that he had used some of the guandao swords for religious ceremonies.

The case was prosecuted by ASP Arman Ibrahim.