Ex-WP candidate fined $3000

[RonRon]

A BUSINESSMAN who put up banners of escaped Jemaah Islamiah detainee Mas Selamat Kastari without permission was fined a total of $3,000 yesterday.

But Zeng Guoyan chose to go to jail for three weeks instead of paying the fine of $1,000, the maximum, on each of the three charges.

The 56-year-old was convicted by District Judge Jasbendar Kaur after a six-day trial.

He was found guilty of having put up a notice which had a picture of Mas Selamat and the word 'DEAD' on the wall outside a shop in Tai Thong Crescent on March 20 last year. Mas Selamat escaped from detention at the Whitley Road Detention Centre in February.

Zeng did not have the permission of United Premas, the occupier of the building, for his act.

On Dec 22, while under police investigation for that offence, Zeng hung a banner with a picture of the detainee in the common corridor outside his shop selling hair products at Block 69, Lorong 4 Toa Payoh.

A week later, he attached another banner, together with a charge sheet from the prosecutor against him, to a pillar at the same building.

A Workers' Party candidate in the 1991 elections, Zeng claimed he was not the person who put up the banners, and that he did not know who had done it.

At first, he said that the police were trying to frame him.

He also claimed he was entitled to a quarter share of the $1 million reward for the capture of Mas Selamat, now in detention in Malaysia after being caught in Johor on April 1.

Pressed by the court on who he suspected had put up the banners, Zeng claimed he had many enemies, and that someone was trying to be 'funny' with him.

In his closing arguments, Deputy Public Prosecutor Eugene Lee said the man was clearly a witness of little credit, levelling numerous unfounded allegations against the police and other witnesses from the prosecution.

He also argued that Zeng was 'constantly shifting his evidence' and showed a blatant disregard for the truth.

Zeng, who was unrepresented, has claimed trial to three other charges of failing to turn up at Tanglin Police Division for interviews between August and September last year over the Tai Thong Crescent incident.

A pre-trial conference has been set for Dec 23.

He has past convictions for outrage of modesty in 1988 and 1996, criminal intimidation and causing hurt.

 

[Paparazzy]

Look at this fucktards the opposition produces!

 

[chowka]

Look at this fucktards the opposition produces!

Good riddance to trash!

 

[postnew]

 

[postnew]

 

[postnew]

PHOTO: Prof Zeng Guoyuan, the operator of a newly-opened shop in Toa Payoh drumming next to his pet bird. Some of the residents find his singing annoying. Others think he is entertaining.

by Benson Ang

SOME residents in Toa Payoh are irritated by a new shop in the area, for two reasons.

One, there is a giant green banner with the letters 'FCUK' in black paint.
Two, the shop operator, acupuncturist Zeng Guoyuan, has allegedly been singing loudly and watching television with the volume turned up in front of the shop.

Two weeks ago, a giant banner of escaped JI detainee Mas Selamat was put up in front of this shop. This was before the self-styled Prof Zeng opened his shop. The banner was eventually removed by the town council.
The shop, which opened on Monday, is called Prof Zeng's Medical Centre. It is located near Toa Payoh Lorong 4.
Mr Zeng, in his 50s, sells shampoo to help hair growth, as well as slimming oil.
He was a Workers' Party candidate in Bukit Timah in the 1991 General Election, but was unsuccessful. The New Paper visited his shop thrice.
On Monday, Mr Zeng was singing loudly to karaoke videos on the large LCD screen in his shop. He was also banging on two African drums, and dancing.
On Tuesday, he was playing a video about a motivational speaker, with the volume turned up.
Retiree Mazie Chok, 78, who is living in Block 69, was so annoyed with the din that she confronted him and accused him of being bising (noisy in Malay).
Mr Zeng retorted: 'How can you call me bising? It's my shop and I can play what I like.'
When Madam Chok asked him why he was playing the video so loudly, Mr Zeng replied: 'I can't hear it! This is none of your business.'
Another resident, Mr Lemmont Tan, 48, who lives on the 11th floor of Block 69, said: 'I can hear the noise from my house. He starts playing his videos from the morning onwards, and it's so irritating.'
He is also upset with Prof Zeng for putting up the 'FCUK' banner.
Mr Tan said: 'It's so offensive and disgusting. It's not even a proper banner of the label.'
Mr Zeng said he put up the banner because 'it is a well-known clothing brand'.
He declined to elaborate, but simply added: 'Anybody can complain about anything. I don't care.'
He claimed he knew who had put up the poster of Mas Selamat up two weeks ago.
'I'm not offended at the man who put the poster up. I would have left it up there,' he said.
When The New Paper went to the shop last evening, the 'FCUK' banner was still up, although it was rolled up.
Mr Zeng was watching a slideshow of photographs of him and other people.
Also displayed in his shop were images of him with public figures, among them Finance Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam and President S R Nathan.
When asked if the images were for publicity purposes, he replied: 'You can say so.'
But did he have permission of these public figures to use their images in his shop?
'I have the copyright of these images and I can do what I want with them,' Mr Zeng said.
'As long as I don't manipulate the photos, it's okay,' he added.
However, not everyone is irritated by his antics.
Some passers-by started clapping when they walked by his shop. Others stood some distance away, chuckling.
Said Mr Darren Toh, 36, who works in a bicycle shop opposite Mr Zeng's shop: 'He makes the place more lively and exciting. He's a clown, but he is interesting to watch when I'm working.'
He said Mr Zeng puts up a punching bag at least once a day, and practises boxing in public.
'It's okay as long as he doesn't intrude into people's businesses,' said Mr Toh.

This article first appeared in The New Paper on Jan 9, 2009.