The Rise and Fall of Botak Chin & the Magnificent 12 Who Ended His Criminal Reign

While gangsterism may be a common theme in many Western movies, believe it or not, back in the day, gang culture was a serious issue in Malaysia. Among these hardened criminals, Botak Chin was considered a legend.

Let’s go back in time and get to know the infamous gangster who some claimed was Malaysia’s version of Robin Hood.

Early life

At first glance, you might think the name "Botak Chin" refers to a bald Chinese man, but the real person behind the name wasn’t bald at all. It’s believed that "Botak Chin" is a combination of three Hokkien words that roughly translate to “jobless Chinese.” Some reports also suggest the name is an acronym for Bantu Orang Tak Ada Kerja (helping people who don't have a job).

Botak Chin, whose real name was Wong Swee Chin, was born on March 3, 1951, in Kuala Lumpur. He was one of 11 siblings and the son of a railway worker. Chin received his primary education at a SJK(C) in Sentul before attending an English secondary school, which he dropped out of at age 15.

Despite leaving school early, Chin was said to be highly intelligent. A medical test conducted by Dr Mahadevan, Director of Tanjung Rambutan Mental Hospital, declared Chin “a genius” while assessing his fitness to stand trial in 1980.

First brush with the criminal world

After abandoning his education, Chin worked as a fishmonger to support his family. Although he tried to make an honest living, his life took a dark turn when he was beaten by local gangsters for refusing to pay protection money.

This incident reportedly changed the course of his life. Chin began associating with small-time hoodlums for protection and started learning martial arts to defend himself and others who faced similar threats.

While many 18-year-olds today worry about their future, Chin formed his own criminal gang called Gang 360 after illegally obtaining a .22 caliber revolver.

It didn’t take long for Gang 360 to make a name for themselves. Within just one month, they committed eight robberies.

Although Gang 360 were criminals, they followed a unique set of rules: they were not allowed to harm the poor or consume drugs. Chin was reportedly strict in enforcing these rules and didn’t hesitate to kill gang members who disobeyed.

However, Chin was still new to the criminal world and was soon apprehended. He was sentenced to seven years in jail but was released after five years due to good behavior.

Trying to turn over a new leaf

Chin didn’t always want to be a criminal. After his release, he tried to leave gangsterism behind by working as a vegetable seller. Unfortunately, the job didn’t pay well.

Driven by desperation, Chin returned to crime after visiting Thailand in 1975, where he acquired a large cache of firearms. Reports say he had 19 firearms, five grenades, and about 1,000 bullets.

He also recruited three notorious mobsters and formed a new gang.

Local Robin Hood or crooked gangster?

Over the next two years, Chin’s gang terrorised the city. They robbed banks, clubs, illegal gambling dens, armored trucks, and even temples.

Chin’s crimes were far from bloodless as civilians, rival gangsters, and police officers were gunned down. However, there are no official records of how many people he killed.

Despite the chaos, some members of the public sympathised with Chin and compared him to Robin Hood.

It’s believed that Chin had a certain moral code: he avoided targeting the poor and never harmed children. Some stories claim he gave away the proceeds of his crimes to the needy.

Others argue that his supposed kindness was just a tactic to buy silence and loyalty.

The Magnificent 12

One of Chin’s biggest robberies occurred on October 26, 1975, when he and his gang stole RM218,000 after shooting a security officer transporting the money from a horse racing club.

As if that wasn’t enough, Chin also ordered his gang to shoot DSP S Kulasingam, Kuala Lumpur’s Chief of Criminal Investigation at the time. Kulasingam survived and later led a special task force called The Magnificent 12 to take down Chin.

The Magnificent 12 included some of KL’s best detectives and officers, such as:

• ASP Gilbert Ang
• Gui Poh Choon
• ASP Kenny Woodworth
• Bahwandi Hiralal
• G. Ralingam
• Ong Kim Hock
• Sergeant Chong Kam Wah
• Corporal Leong See Fook

Within two weeks, the task force located Chin and his gang hiding at Eng Leong Sawmill in Jalan Ipoh.

On the night of February 16, 1976, a fierce firefight broke out. Several gang members were killed, and Chin was shot six times before being arrested.

The end of an era

In 1980, Chin was indicted on multiple felony charges and sentenced to death by hanging. He was held at Pudu Jail while awaiting execution.

Despite his criminal record, the jail was flooded with letters and phone calls from female admirers.

If you think the death sentence made Chin behave, think again. Months before his execution, he attempted to escape and stabbed several wardens in the process.