Yasin files representation to review drug charges

PETALING JAYA: Nasyid singer and composer, Muhammad Yasin Sulaiman has filed a representation to review the three drug charges he is facing.

Counsel Ariff Azami Hussein, representing Muhammad Yasin, informed Sessions Court Judge Jamaludin Mat that the representation was filed on Sept 26.

"I apologise for submitting it a little late, which was on Sept 26 but we only managed to get hold of the required medical documents two weeks ago.

"We have included these (medical) documents in the representation which is fairly comprehensive for the prosecution to review the charges," said Ariff Azami in today's case management.

Deputy public prosecutor P. Vitiya Monisha said the prosecution had received the representation and it was still under consideration.

The court set Nov 3 for the prosecution to inform the decision on the representation.

Earlier, the court set 15 days for the trial starting on March 6 next year.

The 'Mimpi Laila' singer was charged with ingesting the drug '11-nor-delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol-9-carboxylic acid at the Petaling Jaya District Headquarters Narcotics Office at 11.05 pm last March 24.

The charge framed under Section 15(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act (DDA) 1952 and punishable under Section 15 (1) of the same act, carries a fine not exceeding RM5,000 or a maximum jail term of two years, if convicted.

He was also charged with possessing cannabis-type drugs weighing 193.7 grams and cultivating 17 cannabis plants in plastic pots at his residence at Persiaran Surian Damansara Indah Resort Homes, PJU 3, Kota Damansara here, at 5.30 pm on the same date.

The drug possession charge framed under Section 6 of the DDA Act and punishable under Section 39A(2) of the same act carries life imprisonment or not less than five years with no less than 10 strokes of the rotan, if convicted.

On cannabis cultivation, the charge is framed under Section 6B (1) (a) of the DDA and punishable under Section 6B (3) of the same act, which provides for life imprisonment and whipping of not less than six strokes, upon conviction.

-- BERNAMA