Indonesian gets 10 months for having other people’s passports

KUCHING (March 30): An Indonesian man was jailed for 10 months after pleading guilty at the Serian Magistrates’ Court yesterday to unlawfully possessing passports belonging to other individuals.

Bendi Pragola Majidi, 45, was charged under Section 12(1)(f) of the Passport Act 1966, punishable under Section 12(2) of the same Act, which carries a fine not exceeding RM10,000 or imprisonment for up to five years, or both, upon conviction.

He committed the offence at the junction of Ladang TASB Tetangga Akrab, Paon Gahat in Serian at about 5.15pm on Feb 15 this year.

According to the facts of the case, police stopped a silver multipurpose vehicle driven by Bendi for inspection and found that he was transporting a compatriot named Gandut, 41, who was suspected of not having valid travel documents.

A check of a sling bag in Bendi’s possession found it to contain two passports belonging to other individuals, cash, a ‘kerambit’ blade, and several other items.

Both Bendi and Gandut were placed under arrest for further action.

Meanwhile, Gandut pleaded guilty yesterday at the Sessions Court to unlawfully entering Malaysia and was sentenced to four months’ jail and one stroke of the cane.

The charge against him was framed under Section 6(1)(c) of the Immigration Act 1959/63, which provides for a fine not exceeding RM10,000 or up to five years in jail, or both, and not more than six strokes of the cane, upon conviction.

Deputy public prosecutors Muhammad Afiq Safly Nor Kazly and Ruvinasini Pandian appeared separately for the prosecution before Magistrate Nursyaheeqa Nazwa Radzali and Sessions Court judge Iris Awen Jon.

Both accused were unrepresented.