Indonesian man jailed 4 months, caned once for illegal entry

KUCHING: An Indonesian man was sentenced to four months imprisonment and one stroke of whipping by the Sessions Court here today for entering Malaysia without a valid pass.

Twenty-year-old Muhammad Yusuf Syuran pleaded guilty to the charge when it was read before Judge Iris Awen Jon.

The court also ordered the accused to be referred to the Immigration Department upon completion of his sentence.

Yusuf was charged under Section 6(1)(c) of the Immigration Act 1959/63, punishable under Section 6(3) of the same Act.

Upon conviction, the provision carries a fine of up to RM10,000 or imprisonment for up to five years, as well as whipping of up to six strokes.

According to the charge, Yusuf was found to have entered Malaysia without a valid pass at a coffee shop in Petra Jaya here at about 9:15 pm on September 8.

The facts of the case revealed that police arrested the accused at the coffee shop after suspecting him of entering Malaysia without a valid pass.

He was sitting on the premises when he was arrested, and subsequent investigations found that he had entered Malaysia without a valid pass.

Meanwhile, at the Magistrates’ Court here, Yusuf was sentenced to two months imprisonment after pleading guilty to gaming in a public place.

He entered the plea when the charge was read before Magistrate Leona Dominic Mojiliu.

Yusuf was charged under Section 7(2) of the Common Gaming Houses Act 1953, which provides for a fine of up to RM5,000 or imprisonment for a term of up to six months upon conviction.

He committed the offence at the same place and time when he was arrested for entering Malaysia without a valid pass.

The facts of the case revealed that Yusuf was arrested on suspicion of engaging in online gambling at a public place.

During the arrest, police seized a Redmi mobile phone and RM99 in cash.

The prosecution submitted that Yusuf had thereby committed an offence under Section 7(2) of the Common Gaming Houses Act 1953.

Both cases were prosecuted by Deputy Public Prosecutor, Chuah Kai Sheng, while the accused was unrepresented.