Yasin Sulaiman Sentenced To Life Imprisonment, 16 Strokes Of Cane For 3 Drug Offences

Composer and singer Yasin Sulaiman was sentenced to life imprisonment and 16 strokes of the cane by the High Court today after being found guilty of three drug-related charges from two years ago.

Judge Datuk Norsharidah Awang handed down the sentence after allowing the prosecution’s appeal against the decision of Petaling Jaya Sessions Court Judge Faiz Dziyauddin, who had previously acquitted and discharged the “Mimpi Laila” singer.

Yasin, whose real name is Muhammad Yasin Sulaiman, 48, was previously held at the Bahagia Ulu Kinta Hospital in Perak for a period determined by the Sultan of Selangor. He was handcuffed by the police and immediately taken to Kajang Prison.

“Today is a dark day for me,” Yasin said as he was escorted by the police.

@ohbulanofficial Yasin Sulaiman dijatuhi hukuman penjara seumur hidup dan 16 sebatan oleh Mahkamah Tinggi, Shah Alam hari ini selepas didapati bersalah atas 3 pertuduhan dadah dihadapinya, dua tahun lalu. Sumber: Berita Harian #ohbulan #trendingnewsmalaysia #yasinsulaiman #penjaraseumurhidup #16sebatan ♬ الصوت الأصلي – .

The prosecution was led by Deputy Public Prosecutors Raja Zaizul Faridah Raja Zaharudin and Ahmad Zuhaini Mahamad Amin, while Yasin was represented by lawyer Ariff Azami Hussein.

In the first new charge, Yasin was accused of possessing 193.7 grams of cannabis at a condominium in Persiaran Surian Damansara Indah Resort Home, PJU 3, Kota Damansara, at 5:30 p.m. on 24 March 2022. At the time, it was reported that the seizure was worth at least RM10,200.

For this offense, Yasin was charged under Section 6 of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 and is punishable under Section 39A(2) of the same act, which carries a sentence of life imprisonment or a minimum of five years and not less than 10 strokes of the cane if convicted.

In the second charge, Yasin was accused of cultivating 17 cannabis plants in plastic pots filled with soil at the same place, time, and date. This charge falls under Section 6B(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 and is punishable under Section 6B(3) of the same act. The penalty for this section includes life imprisonment and no less than six strokes of the cane if found guilty.

In the third charge, Yasin was accused of self-administering the dangerous drug ’11-nor-delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol-9-carboxylic acid’ at the Narcotics Office of the Petaling Jaya District Police Headquarters at 11:05 p.m. on the same date.

For this offense, the charge was brought under Section 15(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, which is punishable under Section 15(1) of the same act. The penalty for this offense includes a fine not exceeding RM5,000 or imprisonment for up to two years, if convicted.

Over the course of the trial, Yasin remained adamant on his stance towards cannabis and even called for the removal of the plant from the narcotics list claiming that, “God did not make the cannabis tree unnecessarily; the cannabis tree is used for medical purposes.”

In July 2022, with the support of his legal team, family and friends, netizens and even Muar MP, Syed Saddiq, Yasin escaped the death penalty after the prosecution made a withdrawal.

After the death sentence had been withdrawn, the singer said, “Alhamdulillah, I am following the legal process and provisions, and I am very grateful. I thank my friends and family for their support, they are my main source of strength.”

The court’s decision today has elicited a range of reactions from the public. Some individuals feel the punishment is excessively harsh, particularly given that Yasin was not charged with drug trafficking. They emphasise that Yasin had previously informed both the court and the public that his cannabis use was strictly for medical reasons, specifically to manage his bipolar disorder.

Conversely, others contend that the sentence is appropriate and proportional to the offense, viewing it as a necessary measure to deter Malaysians from becoming involved with drugs.

What are your thoughts on this? Let us know in the comments.