Sun Yee On

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Sun Yee On (traditional Chinese: 新義安; Cantonese Yale: sàn yih òn) or New Righteousness and Peace is one of the leading triads[1] in Hong Kong, with the biggest number of members - around 25,000 members.[2] They are believed to be active in Britain, Belgium, France and the Netherlands[3] and in the government of Guangdong Province in Mainland China.[2]

Sun Yee On was founded by Heung Chin, originally from Chiu Chow, in 1919.[4] He was deported to Taiwan in the early 1950's and continued to lead the organization from there.[4] Sun Yee On was allegedly taken over by his eldest son Heung Wah-yim, who ostensibly worked as a law clerk.[4]

In February 1986 a former Hong Kong police officer, Anthony Chung, who had become a member of Sun Yee On, asked the police for protection.[4] He identified Heung Wah-yim as the leader of the Triad and this led to the police arresting eleven members of the Triad on 1 April 1987.[4] Whilst searching Heung Wah-yim's law office they found a list of 900 numbered names which appeared to be the membership roster of Sun Yee On.[4] In October Heung Wah-yim was brought to trial along with five acomplices who all pleaded guilty.[4] Heung Wah-yim protested his innocence throughout the trial, claiming to be the president of a local chapter of the Lions Club and that the list found in his office consisted of potential donors.[4] Chung and together with another former member were the main prosecution witnesses. On 20 January 1988 the jury found five of the defendants guilty, including Heung Wah-yim who was sentenced to seven and a half years in prison, acquitting the sixth.[4]

[edit] References

  1. ^ Davies, Anthony (1995-08-25). Asia Week. Retrieved on 2006-05-28.
  2. ^ a b Illuminated Lantern. Retrieved on 2006-05-28.
  3. ^ Transnational Communities Programme. Retrieved on 2006-05-28.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i Dannen, Fredric (July 1997). Partners in Crime: Part 2. The New Republic. Retrieved on 2006-05-28.