The Star, Kuala Lumpur, 10 January 2002

Six years, rotan for raping a grandmother

KOTA KINABALU: A 23-year-old man, who told a court that he was drunk when he raped a 70-year-old grandmother, was yesterday sentenced to six years' jail and six strokes of the rotan.

Jujili @ Samrin Gali pleaded guilty before Sessions Court judge Nurchaya Arshad to a charge under Section 376 of the Penal Code, which provides for a maximum of 20 years' jail and caning.

He was charged with raping the woman at an unnumbered house in Kampung Meninipir, in Keningau, at about 6.30am on Dec 28.

Earlier, prosecuting officer Asst Supt Bernard Leo, in pressing for a stiff sentence because Jujili had shown no remorse in traumatising the woman, said that the accused headed to the house of the victim after a tapai (rice wine) drinking session.

ASP Leo said Jujili kicked open the door of the house where the elderly woman was sleeping before he threw himself on her and raping her.

After committing the offence, Jujili headed to a cock-fighting den. Jujili was arrested on the same day.

New Straits Times, Kuala Lumpur, 21 January 2002

HIV+ man gets seven years for heroin possession

PENANG: The High Court today sentenced a HIV+ patient to seven years' jail and 10 strokes of the rotan after he pleaded guilty to possessing 385.8 grammes of heroin five years ago.

Judge Datuk Dr R.K. Nathan said while the court was sympathetic to Chan Jung Lim's condition, he (Nathan) still had to protect the public interest.

"I have considered all the facts including your guilty plea as well as your health condition. However, I must also consider the seriousness of your crime," he said.

Chan, 34, a former auto mechanic, was originally charged with trafficking the heroin but the charge were amended today.

He admitted possessing the heroin at a flat at Lebuh Padang Tembak in Air Itam at 5.45pm on Oct 17, 1997.

Chan's counsel Ranjit Singh Dhillon submitted that he (Chan) had earlier been diagnosed with having goiter but he was not sent to Penang Hospital for treatment despite numerous requests.

Ranjit said Chan only received treatment at the Penang prison in-house infirmary.

"Even on the first two days of his trial in August 2000, Chan had collapsed in the court room," he said. "It was only on April 24 last year that he was confirmed to be HIV positive."

Subsequently, Chan was denied admission to the Penang Hospital and the prison was forced to isolate him, he added.

"Nobody took the responsibility to provide adequate treatment to Chan. Instead, he was given a concoction of drugs by the hospital officer to suppress the virus in his body," he said.

Ranjit mitigated for the court to impose a lenient sentence as Chan's parents had planned to treat him with alternative medicine at a monastery in Bangkok, Thailand.

Meanwhile, Deputy Public Prosecutor Anuar Abdul Rahman said besides considering Chan's health, the court should also impose a stiff sentence as his crime was serious.

© New Straits Times (M) Berhad

New Straits Times, Kuala Lumpur, 23 January 2002

Letters to the Editor

Harsh punishment necessary for aliens

ILLEGAL immigrants have all along been the bane of our Government and now legal migrant workers are becoming a headache.

The photos and news of the recent rioting in Nilai were shocking and clearly depicted the contempt for our laws, police and Government by some sections of migrant workers. Fearing the police and showing remorse now is too late for these people.

They should have thought of this before jumping like crazy people in front of the cameras for all Malaysians to witness their shameless acts.

Malaysia has been kind to allow migrants to work here but we should make a stand and not let this deteriorate to the extent that it does not bring any security and peace to everyone.

Rapes, murders, gang fights, rioting, robberies and petty crimes by foreigners have been on the rise. It is not that I am picking on Indonesians, but the fact is they are normally the ones involved.

Foreigners are also the main cause for the increase in illegal settlements, pilfering of water, snatch thefts, taking up places in hospitals and schools meant for Malaysians, spread of chronic diseases and a whole lot of other problems.

Last year, our Deputy Prime Minister stated that the Government may look at implementing whipping for illegal immigrants as a deterrent. I applaud this move. Quickly implement it. It is a financial burden to our country to send these illegals back only to see them return on the next boat. The permanent residence status of those caught and charged for crimes, should be immediately revoked. Foreigners, irrespective of their legality here, when caught for crimes should be whipped.

Partly to be blamed are the companies, factories and employers who continue to flout the law by employing illegal immigrants. Their very action has resulted in crime rates rising throughout the country.

.............

Use the ISA against traitors who help illegals to register as citizens. My suggestion is, not only do we deport this people, but we must let them pay for their crimes first. The most cost effective way is just to whip them. Malaysia does not need ungrateful people working here.

Delren Terrence Douglas
Kuala Lumpur

........

© New Straits Times (M) Berhad

Utusan Express Online, Kuala Lumpur, 31 January 2002

Officer gets jail, rotan for cheating Hong Leong Bankof RM1.45 mln

KUALA LUMPUR Jan 30 - A former bank officer who cheated a bank of RM1.45 million was today sentenced to three years' jail and seven strokes of the cane by the Sessions Court.

Ahmad Roslan Darussalam, 41, who was head of Hong Leong Bank's commercial financing department, pleaded guilty to seven counts of cheating the bank's Taman Tun Dr Ismail branch.

Judge Mohd Zaki Wahab sentenced Roslan to three years in jail and one stroke of the cane on each charge, with the prison terms to run concurrently.

The charges under Section 420 of the Penal Code carry a maximum sentence of 10 years in jail, whipping and fine, upon conviction.

The court dismissed an application by Roslan, through his counsel Hanif Khatri Abdulla, for a stay of execution pending appeal to the High Court.

The judge said there were no strong grounds to allow the application.

Roslan had claimed trial to the seven charges and the trial was set to begin on Monday, but he changed his plea before hearing commenced.

The court was told that Roslan managed to get a clerk and an officer of the branch to release money to him from the account of a current account holder on seven occasions between Feb 28 and March 12 last year.

He did this by presenting seven Hong Leong bank cheques purportedly issued by the current account holder, S.M.K. Agency Sdn Bhd.

The cheques were for the sums of RM189,000, RM211,000; RM191,620; RM158,380; RM250,000, RM200,000 and RM250,000.

© UTUSAN MELAYU (M) BHD., 46M, Jalan Lima Off Jalan Chan Sow Lin, 55200 Kuala Lumpur.