[UPDATED] Nasyid singer Yasin charged with growing, trafficking cannabis

PETALING JAYA – Nasyid singer and composer Muhammad Yasin Sulaiman was charged in separate courts today with cultivating cannabis plants and trafficking in 214g of the drug at a condominium in Kota Damansara.

In the sessions court before judge Norshila Kamaruddin, Yasin, 47, was charged with cultivating 17 cannabis plants in plastic pots at his residence at Kondominium Casa Indah, Persiaran Surian Damansara Indah Resort Home, PJU 3 Kota Damansara here at 5.30pm last March 24.

The charge was framed under Section 6B(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act (DDA) 1952 which provides for life imprisonment and whipping of not less than six strokes, if found guilty.

He pleaded not guilty to the charge of growing the plants.

In the magistrate's court, the father of two was charged with trafficking 214g of cannabis at the same location, time and date.

The charge, framed under Section 39B(1)(a) of the DDA 1952 and punishable under Section 39B(2) of said Act, provides for the death penalty or life imprisonment, and in lieu of a death sentence, is punishable by whipping of not less than 15 strokes, upon conviction.

No plea was recorded for the drug trafficking charge as the case is under the jurisdiction of the high court.

Yasin, who became popular with the song Mimpi Laila, was represented by lawyer Mohd Yusmadi Mohd Yusoff, while deputy public prosecutors Mohammad Al-Saifi Hashim and Asnawi Abu Hanipah prosecuted.

The prosecution did not apply for bail, and according to Al-Saifi, no bail is allowed for cases under Section 41(B) of the DDA 1952, and in case of any health issues, the accused could request for treatment in prison.

However, Yusmadi requested that his client be allowed bail on grounds that he had bipolar disorder and had been receiving psychiatric treatment at the Universiti Kebangsaaan Malaysia Medical Centre since 2009.

“Two months prior to his arrest, my client was treated at the Pantai Hospital. He also suffers from health problems and needs help to get proper treatment,” he said, adding that Yasin was recently divorced from his wife.

Both courts denied Yasin bail and set May 18 for mention. – Bernama, March 31, 2022