IS IT WORTH IT ??? Think Hard and Carefully !

Gang chief jailed 42 months, caned 18 strokes
By Shaffiq Alkhatib
Posted: 02 December 2010 1715 hrs
Channelnewsasia.com



SINGAPORE:
The headman of a secret society was sentenced to 42 months' jail and given 18 strokes of the cane for offences including being part of an unlawful assembly that attacked a 16-year-old boy.
Twenty-eight-year-old Mohammed Hussein Mohammed Kassim and five other men attacked Rashvin Ravindran with a knife at a playground near Block 511, Jurong West Street 51 at around 4.20pm on 14 August.

Hussein, who is the headman of the 18 Sio Ghi Ho secret society, directed the assault.
The fight broke out after a member of his group accused Rashvin of calling his friend a "dog".
They then attacked the boy before he even had the chance to answer.
As a result, Rashvin suffered injuries to his neck and head, and was sent to hospital for treatment.
Just about two hours before the assault, Hussein and at least 13 of his associates were at Jurong West Street 52 waiting to ambush another group of men.
Members of Hussein's group were armed with knives and a knuckle duster.

The headman had personally planned the attack to take place at a street soccer court.
However, he aborted it as he found that there were too many passers-by in the area.
The 13 youths, aged between 14 and 21, were charged with the crime.
Three of them have already been dealt with in court.
A 14-year-old boy was sent to the Singapore Boys' Home for rehabilitation while his 15-year-old accomplice was put on probation.
They cannot be named due to their age.

Another member of the group, 20-year-old Maria Dass Pandi Rasan, was sentenced to 24 months' jail and given six strokes of the cane.
Besides these, Hussein was also caught with a sickle and a flick knife in his flat at around 12.15pm on 16 August.
Police seized the weapons after officers raided his home at Block 118, Corporation Drive, in Taman Jurong that day.

The plump, heavily inked Hussein - who sports several tattoos on his face - was seen smiling to his family members in the gallery as the authorities led him away.
For the rioting charge, he could have been jailed up to ten years on top of the caning.
- CNA/ir


Unk Dicko's Comments:
More and more of these "secret societies " gangs have opened their doors to non-Chinese to boost their strength in numbers and to counter what the 369 group have been doing for over 2 decades. I have put the term " secret societies" in quotation marks because unlike half a century ago, today's samseng gangs are not that secretive any more. They do try to make some attempts to hide their links from the police and our authorities. But do so only superficially. Many openly tattoo themselves with their gang insignia or gang emblems in the hope of frightening ordinary people. Even skinny looking weakling kids tattoo themselves, dye their hair in weird colours, keep unkempt or spiky hair and add all sorts of stuff in the hope of looking more macho-bravo..the more sinister the better.
In actual fact, many of these samseng kias are openly declaring themselves "fair game" for their ss enemies and the police.

The situation in and outside the school is somewhat similar.
The teenage gang member in school DOES NOT SHY AWAY FROM STATING HIS SECRET SOCIETY to others they want to intimidate, harass or confront.
All the gangs operating inside a school, if they are on opposing sides, want to outdo one another.
These "hot air balloons' are simply that ...full of hot air led by so called leaders such as the so-called "headman" in above report.
From his actions as described in the report..you can see what a mess he has made of his life for himself, his family and those whom he has led astray ( total of 13 charged ).

This was pretty much the same kind of rubbish leadership that I encountered during my years of dealing with them. It was actually no leadership at all. I prefer to use the term "conmanship".The young, impressionable kids lured into such gangs were all basically conned...by older adults into thinking they are joining not just a gang but "an army" of thousands of fellow gang members., with numerous branches NSEW, all on call at a moment's notice. They fall for this big brotherhood thing.

Many of my charges learnt the hard way that when they were really in trouble...no help came.They were abandoned and left to fend for themselves for creating their own mess.

Some parents have asked me this question seriously: " if my son or daughter is already in a gang,how can he/she come out completely, without his life being in danger?"
As a matter of fact, during my appearance on CNA BLOG TV reently, the "Flying Dutchman" who was hosting the programme on Gangs and youth violence, had asked the very same question...with differing answers from the others on the panel. No one there actually had the kind of experience Unk Dicko had...of securing a gang member's unmolested, free release from his own S S gang without any payment or retribution by gang members.
Many parents have also asked me this, " how can we tell if our son/daughter is in a gang?"
Anyone out there interested in the ANSWERS ?

More Measures to control gangs, youths at risk.

Singapore
Home > Breaking News > Singapore > Story
Nov 24, 2010
CRACKDOWN ON YOUTH VIOLENCE
Curfew for at-risk youths?
By Teh Joo Lin
Related Link
SPEECH BY MR K SHANMUGAM, MINISTER FOR HOME AFFAIRS AND MINISTER FOR LAW

ST FILE PHOTO: WONG KWAI CHOW
TO TACKLE the problem of youth gangs, the police may be armed with additional powers such as getting at-risk youths to observe curfew hours and to attend intervention programmes.
The Ministry of Home Affairs is studying the feasibility of giving the police this kind of clout, so they 'can intervene upstream', that is, step in before errant youths form loose gang associations, said its minister K. Shanmugam in Parliament yesterday.
Giving an update on gang violence, he made it clear that the police have a 'zero-tolerance' policy towards gang activities and will hold on to this stance.
The police have picked up 144 suspected gang members since the end of last month. They include the eight youths since charged with murder in the Downtown East slashing case, and the six linked to the armed rioting in Bukit Panjang, who are being processed for criminal detention.
Mr Shanmugam, who is concurrently Minister for Law, said 45 per cent of the rioting cases this year involved young persons; about 32 per cent of them were linked to secret societies.
Noting the current of 'understandable public concern' over the recent incidents, he assured the House that the police took a serious view of such violence.
Read the full story in Wednesday's edition of The Straits Times.
joolin@sph.com.sg

Unk Dicko's Comments:

There is far too much talk and reports on what the government can do or hope to do.

There is also far too much "top down" instructions and "controls'' on how to cope with many of the challenges facing Singaporeans. This slowly fliters down to from top to bottom to the men in blue...who are somtimes clueless about the emphasis and directions they should take.

They lose focus in their fight against crime.

We need to have a special team or TASKFORCE specially trained to take out these ss elements in our society. The work of the SSB should continue but now shored up by the exclusive attention of this select group of special officers who will be a part of the future of S'pore's frontline home defence.

Teen offenders had to do community service..in past.

[ ST report 1996 ]

Click on the image to enlarge and read.

Look at the date on this report which was in 1996...14 years ago.

Our Singapore courts and other agencies involved came out with this innovative approach as part of their strategy in tackling the teen problem.

On paper it looked good. In practice it should be even better.

That being the case, why have we not heard anything more about this so called

" Community work for teen offenders " anymore. Years have passed by.

I do not seem to recall any news about any teen offenders serving graciously ( by court order or whatever ) at any CC, old folks home, hospice, childrens' home etc...

Any of my readers and visitors remember?

Police arrest 70 more for gang activities
Posted: 21 November 2010, 2120 hrs, CNA news report.




[ Newsclip: Sunday Times - 14 Nov 2010, front page ]

SINGAPORE:
Police have clamped down on gangs with another 70 arrests.
The arrests were made at entertainment outlets and public places along Orchard Road, Clarke Quay and at various HDB estates.
Police said those arrested were between 16 and 51 years old.
They are suspected to be involved in gang-related activities, drug offences and possession of offensive weapons.
With these, the number of people arrested for gang-related incidents stands at a total of 144.
Of this total, 35 people were involved in the Downtown East murder of student Darren Ng who was hacked to death.
16 others were arrested for another gang incident at Bukit Panjang.
-CNA/ac

Unk Dicko's Comments:
The crackdown is producing some results.
The residents living in a particular neighbourhood, together with all those who have business within, should know their own backyard well enough.
They are the ones, the majority who want a safe and peaceful environment in their estate.
They are also the ones who know best where the various "samseng kias" often meet...be it at or near a coffeeshop, near a 7-11 store, at a foodcourt, outside a mall, at a HDB void deck, at a Basketball court or some secluded corner of a field, at a designated location in a park etc..
Residents, through their RCs, NCs and Business community should form their own Anti-crime and Anti-SS taskforce to liase closely with police agencies.
Such taskforce should make their very 1st task by IDENTIFYING ALL KNOWN SS or SS elements irrespective of sex or age operating in their own area.
They should make notes and identify.....
Who they are.
Who controls them.
What school they come from.
Where do they live approximately.
Other details such as the name of their group, weapons seen, their type of offences.
Day and time of ss activity
Night and time of ss activity.
Residents should also observe if police have been carrying out checks regularly, infrequently or
even NONE at all.
Such feedback should be channelled OFFICIALLY to their MPs or higher authority to remedy the situation.
The Police cannot SOLVE all of society's ills. But Police need to reorganise their approach.
Everyone must do his or her part to help clear this scourge from our land.
EVERYONE....every Ah Pek, Ah Soh, Ahmad, Muthu, boy or girl, man or woman.
Every teacher, counsellor, Principal or educator.
Every father or mother who treasure the children they have.
Yes, everyone if you make even a small effort to be helpful and corncerned enough to do your part...you'll be surprised how fast these samseng kias will turn into the tamest pussy cats.

DTE killing...3 MORE CAUGHT, 2 more to go !

Singapore
Home > Breaking News > Singapore > Story
Nov 19, 2010
DOWNTOWN EAST MURDER
3 more youths charged

By Khushwant Singh

[ ST photo by Wong Kwai Chow ]
Left to right: Chong Rui Hong, 18, Jason Chew Wei Beng, 20 and Ng Wei Lun, 18.
All three were ordered to be remanded in Central police division till Nov 26.

THREE youths were charged on Friday with the murder of 19-year-old polytechnic student Darren Ng in Downtown East last month, bringing the total to eight suspects arrested so far.
Chong Rui Hong, 18, Ng Wei Lun, 18, and Jason Chew Wei Beng, 20, were ordered to be remanded in Central police division till Nov 26.
The judge also issued an order that they could be taken out to assist police in investigations.

The trio is believed to have joined a group who hacked polytechnic student Darren to death with choppers at the Downtown East entertainment hub after a gang-related dispute on Oct 30.
Four alleged accomplices were first arrested on Nov 13.
At the mention of their cases on Tuesday, Chen Wei Zhen, 19, Ho Wui Ming, 20, and Tang Jia Min, 21, were ordered to be detained at the Changi Medical Complex in Changi prison. Edward Tay Wei Loong, 18, is recovering in hospital after injuring himself while fleeing from the police.

The fifth suspect, Louis Tong Qing Yao, 17 - who was arrested on Nov 2 for illegal moneylending activities - was charged for Darren's murder on Nov 10. On Tuesday, he was ordered to be remanded in the Central police division to assist in investigations. He also faces three loanshark harassment charges after he allegedly scribbled graffiti in Bishan and Serangoon North and splashed paint at a flat in Hougang
.
Two suspected accomplices -
Stillwell Ong Keat Pin, 19, and Ho Wei Quan - are still at large.


Unk Dicko's Comments:
Kudos to all the field officers out there involved in the relentless hunt for these 3 samseng killers. You can be sure that the public is pleased to see this. The police and the government cannot rest until this scourge of resurgence in teenage violence is completely put down...and rubbed out.
So there were 10 rotten Humpty-Dumptys carrying parangs sitting on the wall.
First 3 were caught, 1 literally fell down and 1 more while on the run went on a spree of crime.
5 + 3 = 8 caught.
Eight have fallen from their high pedestal of crime, secret society and murder.
Only 2 more to go. The police said they are still at large...but as you can see their names are already known.
Once that happens it will only be a matter of time before the other 2 rotten Humpty Dumptys will also fall.

Ps: To ensure they do not escape, perhaps the MHA could issue their photos to the media and press. And just like the "heartbeat molester" ...Singapore is so small, there's NO WHERE THIS KIND OF SCUMS CAN HIDE FOREVER. Yes, they may run but cannot hide for long.
More than 4 million pairs of eyes will be looking out for them...how to hide?

The school background of all these 40 odd samsengs nabbed SHOULD BE THOROUGHLY CHECKED. It would not surprise me at all that everyone of them are still LINKED to MANY of the present students in their former schools or in those schools they have some "control and influence". ( Remember the 19 nincompoops , many heavily tattooed, who turned up in court to show gang support to their arrested "brothers"....these are not all they have in their gangs. They have many, many more. Remember the large numbers at the funeral wake of the victim...many of the opposing gang members would have been there too. Press reports said more than a thousand were there !)
If the Police Intelligence Unit and the CID is up to it, they would have captured all the beautiful snapshots of many of the suspected gang members of FHS that had the fued with 369.
In the coming weeks and months even these FHS chaps would feel the heat...not just 369.
Some may already have over-exposed themselves and captured so clearly on TV during their rantings. Police and SSB officers will pick them up at leisure.

Another SLASHING at AMK ! ...what can police do?

Straits Times online
Home > Breaking News > Singapore > Story
Nov 19, 2010
YOUTH VIOLENCE
Teen slashed in AMK
By Bryan Huang

In yet another incident of youth violence, a 17-year old , who was acquainted with the alleged attacker, also 17, was slashed on the right shoulder at Block 448, Ang Mo Kio Avenue 10 at about 7pm. --PHOTO: TNP

POLICE have arrested a teenager who was involved in an attack on another youth in Ang Mo Kio on Thursday.
In yet another incident of youth violence, a 17-year old , who was acquainted with the alleged attacker, also 17, was slashed on the right shoulder at Block 448, Ang Mo Kio Avenue 10 at about 7pm.

The victim, who left a blood trail from outside a 24-hour restaurant, where the attack took place, was taken to Tan Tock Seng Hospital.
The New Paper reported on Friday that the two youths had got into a loud dispute and a shoving match before the victim was knifed.
A police spokesman told straitstimes.com on Friday morning that the incident had nothing to do with gang activities, and investigations are ongoing.
The latest incident comes after a teen was slashed to death at Downtown East and seven others were attacked in Bukit Panjang.

Unk Dicko's Comments:

And only early this morning, I had stated clearly in my post..." Take it from me, there are still MORE out there..." referring to these brainless youths who are carrying LETHAL WEAPONS that can KILL with just a few slashes, stabs or swings.

When I saw this latest report online, it further confirms what I know about the "Real" situation

out there.

It is high time our S'pore Police Force relook their operation strategies to combat this rising scourge of gangs and violence.

The Courts and our Laws only come in when these samsengs are caught AFTER commission of crimes.

" We need to destroy not only the adult mosquitoes but to prevent the mosquitoes from breeding. Look for breeding grounds...larva, stagnant water, foul drians, cesspools.

Destroy these and the larva cannot turn into mosquitoes."

Our police need to be braver and smarter.

The commanders of all police divisions in S'pore should organise a SPECIAL PLAINCLOTHES ANTI-CRIME, ANTI-SS UNIT in each of their own divisions. The manpower for this are already there.

S'pore also has a large pool of police officers in the Special Constabulary both NS and Volunteers. All are trained in general police work.

I say select the BEST of them...and form them into a cogent taskforce to take out these multiplying hooligans. They too should be out of uniform and trained. Fully armed.

You only need to convert selected uniformed officers into plainclothes officers. They are fully armed and have the usual assortments, including hand-cuffs, extra rounds, etc...all unseen on their persons.

Keep this Taskforce operating openly where the public and DEFINITELY the samsengs know about it. Not all police action should be covert.

Most to be effective should be overt.

I speak from experience.....

The STATE cannot afford to be less 'tough' than the gangs!

Now that MHA is going to conduct a full review of all our laws pertaining to suppressing gangs and the spread of gangsterism, it would be timely for our courts and the AG Chambers to also conduct their own reviews with particular reference and attention to young offenders, many of whom are in the school system or are school dropouts.
There must be a strong deterrent factor that should be applied to the fullest extent as a public example. The act to forewarn other potential adventurers must be given widest media and press coverage.
Everyone of us needs to do our part to help make Singapore safe.
Singapore can never be touted as a gracious society and a safe haven with gangs choosing to run wild with choppers and parangs, whenever they like and in whichever location they choose.

Newsclip - From Unk Dicko's Archives [Click on image to read]
The New Paper - Mon 24 June 2002

The majority of our samseng kias out there and their parents or family members do not realise that their wayward sons and daughters can be charged as adults even if they are under 16 years old at the time the offence is committed.
Under 16? Yes...that means 15 years in age and that boy or girl will be charged in "adult" court which carries very serious sentencing penalties.
So instead of being sent to a Boys' or Girls' Home for youth offenders, they join the much older prisoners at Reformative Training Centre or prison.

Unk Dicko has been bringing his " s s darlings " for twice yearly visits to such RTC and prison in the fervent hope that such visits will open their eyes to the DRACONIAN life ( if you can even call that living) and conditions that awaits them...when and if they stray from the straight path.
Prison life is not a joke.
Neither is life in the RTC.
It's a punishing regime of very STRICT rules and regulations to hopefully guide the inmates and channel them back to mainstream society after their release.
The prison visits always include a perfect demonstration of CANING on a dummy but using an actual cane and similar technique and extreme force.
All the "ss darlings" whom we have specially chosen on this MANDATORY visits have to go through every part of the programme.

On the journey back in the bus provided, I would ask for their feedback and frank views.
Most said they do not ever want to end up in prison.
All said they FEAR CANING ! Some of the toughie girls wanted to cry.
They were allowed to see real inmates out of their cells huddling in straight rows or squatting down. The prisoners were told not to look at our party...and they dared not disobey.
Most of them are in the thick of ss activities and display similar characteristics of those you have read about recently...they swagger, they curse, they openly show defiance to one and all, all of this taking place when there are lots of people watching...to "show and prove" to the world and their enemies out there just how "tough" they are.
It's an ABSOLUTE MYTH. You wannabie young boy and girl gangsters out there know for a fact that the so called "untouchable, leader or most-fierce chap" was always putting on a show when he or she knows many people are watching.
Just like DTE...thousands of people were there. They still did it. They felt very "brave".
But all of these ss darlings, when there is no one else around to watch...just between him and a law officer, SSB officer, me, police detective....when facing just people who have the REAL POWER to put them away for a long time...they never act brave, never this and never that, all shake and tremble, some go on their knees to ask for mercy.
Mind you, all this are during the investigation stage only and they are already crying and pleading!

GOVT will REVIEW all Laws to Tackle Gangs

Singapore News

MHA to review gangs, youth violence laws

By Wayne Chan

Posted: 16 November 2010 1346 hrs
CNA online news

Masagos Zulkifli, Minister of State for Education and Home Affairs.

Video
MHA to review gangs, youth violence laws

SINGAPORE:

The government is considering if laws need to be tweaked to give more police power and sentencing options to deal with gangs and youth violence. This came in the wake of the recent Downtown East murder and armed rioting at Bukit Panjang.

Minister of State for Education and Home Affairs, Masagos Zulkifli, said the review would take between six and nine months.Speaking to reporters at a news conference, Mr Masagos said the upcoming review is aimed at clamping down the threat of street gangs.Beyond sentencing options and police powers, the review will also look at the powers other institutions need to ensure street gangs do not take root in the society.

Mr Masagos also stressed that the government, schools and parents need to work together to help the youth-at-risk.

He cautioned against over-using legislation and oversimplifying the solution to the recent problems, which are multi-faceted and need customised solutions.

He said: "The existing legislation framework is actually sufficient, but we also have to be forward looking - to look at the kind of trends our youth go through, the environment they live in. "And we have to ensure that these are all cogent in addressing the issues, so that relevant laws can be put into play to address the issues."

Mr Masagos said there are programmes currently available to help youth-at-risk such as school dropouts.

But the message that must be sent out is that while these programmes give them many chances, the law will come down hard on those who cross the line.

Sherrin Chua, assistant director of Community Involvement, Singapore Police Force, said: "In the coming school holidays, the police will be intensifying our checks at the youth congregation hotspots. "We wish to reiterate that the police do not condone any acts of violence. And those who disregard the law, regardless of their age, will be dealt with accordingly."

The authorities also urge parents to call the

police hotline

at 1800-225-000,

if they suspect their children are involved in secret society activities.

-CNA/wk/al

Unk Dicko's Comments:

I would like to commend and thank Minister of State, Mr Masagos Zulkifli for coming out clearly and strongly against gangs and youth violence at his News Conference. More importantly, he has on behalf of the government, assured the public at large that the Ministry of Home Affairs WILL REVIEW OUR PRESENT LAWS with regards to dealing with gangs, secret societies and thugs.

Our government has been known to be able to adept and react FAST to any kind of situation. This assurance by Mr Masagos serves to confirm the intent and hopefully the fact as it unfolds.

For the Review Committee to be able to carry out its major Task properly and effectively, it should be PROVIDED WITH THE "REAL FACTS, FIGURES AND DATA'' on the actual situation of Gangs and s s related incidents, recruitment, harassment, intimidation, extent of their network and structure, all manner of gang activity everywhere...in all schools, Jcs, ITEs, Polys, University, in the SAF, SCDF, and all levels of our society.

The most important area to FOCUS on is what has actually been going on in all our schools, all these years, over the last 10-15 years when the gangs have been recruiting non-stop from WITHIN EACH OWN SCHOOL, Primary or Secondary, the ITEs, JCs etc...

Most schools did not really know how to deal with the ss.

Only some cases may be reported in a year, if at all.

It is imperative that the Review Committee GET THE FULL PICTURE of the situation or else its recommendations will be muted and prove ineffective.

The whole of Singapore, except the samseng kias, will back the government on NEW STRONG MEASURES .

Some form of physical punishment for our wild and violent girls should be considered too.

369 and some other Gangs in S'pore..

In February 2006, something happened in Singapore that really shocked the nation and chilled the bones of everyone who later heard or read the news as the story unfolded. It was a cold-blooded killing carried out in typical ganglang fashion but with a gun ! Most gang-related murders were carried out with weapons such as choppers, parangs, daggers and bearing-scrapers in the past. Singapore, with our strict anti-gun laws, have made gun-related killings a rare occurrence. The mandatory death penalty awaits those dealing death with guns and bullets.

In the early hours of that 15th February morning, Tan Chor Jin, then 39 years old a secret society gangster and reputed top hitman, barged into the flat of Lim Hock Soon age 40, a nite-club owner, threatened him, his wife, 13 year old daughter and maid. Holding both a gun and a knife, he forced Lim to tie up the other three before firing 6 shots at point-blank range into Lim. 5 of the shots hit the victim in the face, head and body, killing him almost instantly. The killer then ransacked the flat for money and valuables and escaped in a waiting car driven by one of his ss underlings. He directed the driver to a canal where he threw away the weapons of death. Tan Chor Jin alias "The One Eyed Dragon" because he had been blinded in one eye, then fled to M'sia where he remained in hiding for 9 days before he was surprised and cornered in a hotel by special CID forces.
He was subsequently taken back to S'pore by CID officers and was charged for the capital crime of murder by firearms. In his trial at the High Court, he initially defended himself despite being cautioned that he was entitled to legal counsel. The trial lasted slightly over a week and he was found guilty and sentenced to death. After all appeals were finally rejected, this One Eyed Dragon met his own fate with Death on 9th January 2009.

Before his hanging at Changi Prison, he did something that was commendable. He decided to donate some of his organs including his kidneys which went to Mr Tang Wee Sung of CK Tang Dept Store ( The story made big news in the media ).
Tan Chor Jin left behind a wife and 2 young kids in M'sia. He also had a mistress with 2 kids.

He was a high-ranking member of the 369 secret society sometimes also known as "salakau ". He was a known hitman.
The victim he killed was his one-time close friend and fellow ss member in the AS Tong.

[Photo: One Eyed Dragon captured -Lianhe Wanbo]

Here's a brief snapshot of the 369 and some other gangs in S'pore.

Many of our people, especially those involved in gangs, do not know how secret societies started out. This has led to a lot of mambo-jambo, mish-mash and diluted understanding about the structure of organised crime resulting in all kinds of street gangs, mall gangs, coffee-shop gangs, etc..sprouting forth. The public at large also do not know much about the past or present gang situation in Singapore.
There were several major gangs in our island before and just after WW2. These included the 08, 18, 24, 36 and 108 among others. The 18 or " chap pueh'' tong was one of the active ss gangs. All the gangs controlled different sectors and areas of our island. There was no strict line of division, only a tacit understanding which was often broken owing to intense power struggle, greed and uncontrollable rebels within a gang. Some sectors were so lucrative that several gangs fought over it constantly resulting in "turf wars'' or more commonly " inter-gang warfare'' or rivalry. These gang clashes happened often in the past but mostly over territory and control over illegal activities of gambling dens, drugs, the sex trade, smuggling, extortion etc..not so much as today's so called senseless " staring" incidents.
Some younger rebellious members of the original 18 group left the parent group to form a new ss group calling themselves 369. This was sometime in the early 1960's. They picked the numbers 369 to show that they were still affiliated to the parent group...the 18...by historical link.
3 + 6 + 9 = 18

But that was as far as they were prepared to go..just a link.
As the years passed, they allied themselves to other groups to be stronger and survived.
They became very active in the late 60's and 70's, taking on a new image. They became one of the most VIOLENT gangs that had a bad reputation for attacking the territory of others.
Almost all of the other ss gangs only took in Chinese as members.
But the 369 was the first local Chinese gang that took in other races...Malays, Indians. Due to their relaxation policy, their strength quickly shot up in the 1990's. They became a major concern for our police and gang busters soon after. They dealt mainly in drugs, prostitution, and illegal VCDs. Because of their 'strengths' in numbers, they violently attacked other rival groups...such as the 303, the Omega ( malay gang), and other independent off-shoots of the 18 gang. Also because of their popularity, many new teen-age street gangs began to sprout in the mid to late 90's calling themselves in the same way " 369". Most of these teenagers from such gangs, are street hooligans and thugs, mostly hot-air balloons.
When the police began to come down hard on all the gangs especially 369, many were caught and jailed. Many were detained under Section 55 ( detention without need for trial ). Many were killed in gangfights. Many headmen fled to M'sia or Indonesia.
Those who were in prison started to recruit again among fellow prisoners. When many of these 369 chaps were released in the late 90's...the crime rate, gang clashes, murders and killings shot up again ! The police and especially the Secret Society Branch of CID was overworked.

More to come...