Pan Wei Siang, 24; Henry Lau, 26; and Tan Ah Chai, 32, nodded after the murder charge was read before magistrate Lee Kim Kiat, Berita Harian reported.

No plea was recorded as murder cases fall under the High Court’s jurisdiction.

The trio, along with another suspect still at large, are jointly charged with killing Tong Wee Sheng, 38, in Sungai Mati, Tangkak, at around 7.20pm on March 13.

The charge under Section 302 of the Penal Code provides for the death penalty, or 30 to 40 years in prison and up to 12 strokes of the rotan, upon conviction.

Deputy public prosecutor Amirah Sapian prosecuted while lawyer Razak Shariff held a watching brief for the victim’s family. The court fixed July 14 for mention.

Tan was also slapped with an additional charge of being a member of an unlawful society called “Hong Hong San”. He claimed trial.

The charge under Section 43 of the Societies Act 1966 is punishable by up to three years in prison, a maximum RM5,000 fine or both, upon conviction.

Case mention for this case is set for June 9.