Yeoh Hock Sun, 63, pleaded not guilty from his hospital bed after the charges were read before judge Surita Budin at Hospital Tuanku Jaafar in Seremban, Sinar Harian reported.

The reading of the charges had to be put on hold for 20 minutes after the accused complained of breathing difficulties. Proceedings resumed after doctors attended to him and confirmed he was stable.

On the first count, Yeoh was charged with committing mischief with an explosive substance, damaging a vehicle belonging to a 47-year-old man at the Desa Palma Apartment in Nilai at around 5.55am on Dec 22.

The charge under Section 435 of the Penal Code is punishable by up to 14 years in prison and a fine upon conviction.

Yeoh was also slapped with three charges of possessing explosive substances, raising reasonable presumption that he intended to use them to cause hurt.

The charges were framed under Section 3 of the Corrosive and Explosive Substances and Offensive Weapons Act 1958 (Act 357), which provides for a maximum seven years in prison and a whipping upon conviction.

Yeoh’s final charge was for using an explosive substance for the purpose of causing hurt, punishable under Section 4 of Act 357 by up to three years in prison and a whipping upon conviction.

The accused was denied bail, and the court fixed Feb 12 for mention. Deputy public prosecutor Norazihah Asmuni prosecuted.