Sinar Harian reported that Chai Guan Cheong, 38, Cheng Kan Loon, 41, and Koh Kim Yang, 41, confirmed they understood the charges after they were read before magistrate Fatin Dayana Jalil.

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

The three men are accused of murdering Ong Meng Seong, 38, sometime between 12.04am on May 4 and 11pm on May 16.

The charges were framed under Section 302 of the Penal Code, which carries the death penalty, or imprisonment of 30 to 40 years and no fewer than 12 strokes of the rotan.

The prosecution was led by deputy public prosecutor Syafiq Zulbahrin. Koh was represented by lawyer Asyraaf Abu Bakar Hamzah, while the other two were unrepresented.

The court denied bail and set July 17 for case mention.