Contractor sent to prison for advocating Daish membership

A contractor was sentenced to three years in prison by the High Court here today for advocating Daesh membership.

Saidin Yaacob, 49, a father of two, pleaded guilty to committing the offence at a house in Rancangan Pinggir Padang Besar, Jeneri, Sik, Kedah between January 2014 and September 2014.

He was ordered by judge Datuk Nordin Hassan to serve the sentence from his arrest on July 18, 2016.

"Malaysia is a peaceful country and we do not want our country to be in turmoil because of Daesh. However, the court takes into consideration your mitigation that you have already repented.

"The court also has a responsibility to caution society against committing the same offence which can undermine peace in the country," said the judge before meting out the punishment.

Based on the facts of the case, Saidin showed a two-minute video on the terrorist group to guests at a dinner held at his house to encourage them to become its members.

Earlier, counsel Faizal Rahman said in mitigation that his client was the sole breadwinner of the family and while being detained, his mother aged 79, wife and children were taken care of by his siblings.

"It is also the accused's first offence," submitted counsel.

Deputy public prosecutor Noor Syazwani Mohamad Sobry urged the court to impose a deterrent sentence in view of the gravity of the offence and in the interest of the public. - BERNAMA