A Malaysian man was sentenced on Monday (8 May) to six years and eight months in jail after he was found guilty of committing sexual acts with four boys in Singapore.

Hiew Chung Wai, 42, was a masseur working in Singapore when he committed the offences. He had previously pleaded guilty to 11 charges in total – six for sexual penetration of minors, two for abetment of sexual penetration of minors, and one each of recruiting minors for sexual exploitation, receiving payment in connection with sexual exploitation, and possessing obscene films.

A total of 20 other similar charges were taken into consideration. Hiew, who had been in remand since December 2015, was also fined $2,000.

Hiew had frequently trawled through social media site Facebook in order to seek boys to engage in sexual intercourse or other sexual acts with him, according to the statement of facts. He had persuaded four teenage boys, aged between 14 and 15 years old, to participate in such acts in return for money.

Four other boys, aged between 17 and 19 years old, were Hiew’s accomplices in the sexual acts.

The identity of the victims and accomplices cannot be revealed due to a gag order.

In one instance, Hiew had sent a friend request to a 14-year-old boy on Facebook in late 2011. He persuaded the boy to meet up with him for sexual activities. The boy refused to do so initially but was persuaded after Hiew promised to give him between $30 and $50 for taking part.

The boy met Hiew at the latter’s flat in West Coast Road. He performed oral sex on Hiew, who paid the boy $20.

Hiew also frequented a homosexual social site where he met three of his accomplices. He informed them about his idea to organise an orgy with another victim on 14 December 2015 at a hotel. There, he instructed a 15-year-old boy to perform various sexual acts with him and his accomplices. Hiew participated in the orgy and paid the boy $50.

Hiew was arrested on 28 December 2015 at the Woodlands Checkpoint while he was on his way back to Malaysia.

In mitigation, his lawyer Cheryl Ng said her client had not used any physical violence, threats or coercion while committing the offences.

Seeking a term of five years for her client, Ng added that Hiew did not profit from his offences and had co-operated with the authorities.

District Judge Shaiffudin Saruwan pointed out that the willing participation of Hiew’s victims was not a mitigating factor.

“The law recognised that minors may not have the experience to make decisions on their sexuality and may be taken advantage of.

“Protection of the young is the most important consideration and (the sentence) serves as a deterrence for like-minded individuals,” he said.