4 Chinese nationals plead not guilty to kidnapping S'porean man, 72, for S$1 million ransom in M'sia

Four Chinese nationals pleaded not guilty and claimed trial after they were charged with kidnapping a 72-year-old Singaporean man in Penang, Malaysia, in July 2026.

The accused — three men and one woman — were charged at a court in Penang on Sep. 10, The Star reported.

If convicted of kidnapping, they may face between 30 and 40 years in prison, and may be caned.

The kidnapping

According to a charge sheet cited by The Star, the four allegedly worked together to abduct and wrongfully confine 72-year-old Singaporean Quek Aik Teng at the Penang International Airport on Jul. 26.

Through coordination between the Singapore and Malaysian police, the man was rescued on Aug. 7 in Kedah, Malaysia.

The Singapore police previously shared some details about the kidnapping and rescue.

The man had travelled on his own to Malaysia on Jul. 26.

On Aug. 4, his family in Singapore received information indicating that he may have been kidnapped in Malaysia and that a ransom had been demanded for his release.

They reportedly received audio and video messages showing him blindfolded, handcuffed, and repeatedly beaten.

The kidnappers also allegedly demanded a ransom of S$1 million from the man's family.

They alerted the police after being concerned for his safety.

On Aug. 7, Malaysian police raided a residence in Kedah, and there was an exchange of gunfire that resulted in the deaths of two suspects.

Both of them were also foreign nationals, The Star reported.

Six other suspects were detained after the operation, but two of them are now at large, according to Free Malaysia Today.

Following preliminary investigations, the Malaysian police said the suspects allegedly used social media and online platforms to get to know potential victims.

They would then invite the victims to meet in person under various pretexts, including going on holiday, employment opportunities or socialising.

Bail denied

The lawyer representing three of the accused said that his clients were willing to surrender their passports, report periodically to a local police station, and abide by any conditions imposed by the court.

He thus asked the court to grant them bail.

The fourth suspect's lawyer similarly sought bail, arguing that his client had fully cooperated with police during detention and had a distant relative living in Malaysia who could act as a surety.

The prosecutor called for the court not to grant bail, highlighting the gravity of the offence.

He also said the suspects' passports were still undergoing verification with Malaysia's immigration department.

The judge ultimately dismissed all bail applications, and set the further mention of the case for Oct. 15.