Filmmaker ‘forced to strip’ at Penang nude games for research, court told
The Malay Mail Online – 11 hours agoRELATED CONTENT
- Albert Yam Kam Hoong (left) and a suspect of the ‘Penang Nude Sports Game’ arrive …
BALIK PULAU, Aug 28 — Would you strip buck naked for your job?
Television director Loh Kok Hong is not a nudist but was forced to strip in the name of research while working on a 10-part documentary series about “underbelly of Singapore” when he took part in a controversial Penang nude sports games in May this year, a Magistrate’s Court heard today.
“My client was working and doing his job to research the naturalists and their activities so he had no choice but to strip naked along with them at that event in order to gain their trust,” lawyer Alan Choong said in pleading leniency for Loh.
“He did not participate in it but he was forced to strip naked so that he could gain their trust and he had immediately put on his clothes after the event when he went back to his room,” Choong said.
Loh, who works as a television director for Extreme Media Limited in Singapore, a company that produces documentaries was convicted today of committing an obscene act together with five other men who went stitchless in the Penang naked games.
All six Malaysians — Loh and Mu Wei Peng, Justin Ang Ji Keng, Albert Yam Kam Hoong, Lionel Loo Joo Heng and R.Nanda Kumar – were sentenced to one month jail and fined RM5,000 each in default three months jail today by Magistrate Mohd Najib Ismail.
They were convicted of committing obscene acts under Section 294 (a) of Penal Code in public between 3pm and 6pm on May 30 at Pantai Teluk Kampi, Penang National Park.
Four others, including three women, were also charged but claimed trial.
Chew Tok Hua, Chan Chia Wen, Teh Guan Hoon and Kong Meng Long were allowed bail of RM4,000 in one surety each and the magistrate fixed October 16 for mention of the case.
In his lengthy mitigation argument, Choong told the court that Loh was not a naturalist, did not participate in the event and was not involved in organising it.
He said Loh is a reality reporter who always went down to the ground to get stories and do research for his documentaries such as going to Japan in the tsunami aftermath and had risked exposure to radiation by going to Fukushima.
“This shows he has this mindset that is committed to his work and in this case, he had sacrificed himself by stripping naked to research for his documentary,” the lawyer said.
Choong told the court that Loh had also surrendered himself on August 8 and had assist police in identifying the rest of the participants in the event.
“He is very depressed over this issue and he regretted his actions so he hoped the court will be lenient in sentencing him,” Choong said.
The five other men who pleaded guilty were not represented and individually told the court that they regretted their actions and promised not to repeat the offence.
“I fully apologise to everyone in Malaysia for what I did and I couldn’t sleep every night because of this,” Mu said.
Justin in apologising, said he is studying filming and had cooperated in the case by surrendering himself to the police.
“I have faced much embarrassment over this and I am truly sorry,” he said.
Lionel said he realised that it is a mistake and revealed that he is currently unemployed.
“I need to look for a job so I promise I won’t do it again,” he said.
Yam, who had uploaded the video clip of the event that had led to an uproar, said he had sent a full apology letter to the Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng.
“I apologise to all Malaysians. I feel very shameful over what I did,” he said.
Yam was also sentenced to another six months’ jail under Section 292 for distribution or possession of pornographic material.
Loh and Mu, upon hearing the sentence, had asked for a stay of execution as they needed to settle their affairs first.
Mohd Najib rejected their application for a stay.
The case was a result of a video clip, showing some 18 people participating in events like body painting and outdoor activities in the nude at the Penang National Park, went viral leading to a huge uproar.
