Eight men charged with possessing ketamine, ecstasy

Eight men, a mix of Malaysian and foreign nationals, faced charges in the Kuala Lumpur Magistrate's Court for allegedly possessing ketamine and ecstasy. The accused, aged between 24 and 41, included individuals from Singapore, Hong Kong, Indonesia, China, and Vietnam.

The charges stem from an incident on May 24, where authorities discovered 1.5 grams of ketamine and 0.7 grams of MDMA (ecstasy) in a hotel room in Brickfields. The prosecution presented two charges under the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, read together with the Penal Code, which carry a maximum penalty of a RM100,000 fine, five years imprisonment, or both upon conviction.

During the proceedings, the prosecution requested bail of RM7,000 for the Malaysian defendants, while no bail was recommended for the foreign nationals. Defense counsel argued for lower bail amounts for the Malaysian defendants, citing their unmarried status and employment as a beauty shop worker and a salesman. For the foreign nationals, the defense pleaded for bail, stating they were tourists.

Magistrate Nurul Izzah Hasan Basri ultimately set bail at RM6,000 with one surety for the two Malaysian defendants, Ivan Wong Yi Xian and Chong King Jun. The remaining six foreign nationals were denied bail. The court scheduled August 27 for document submission and case mention.