Published: Tuesday July 7, 2009 MYT 2:45:00 PM
Robber, spared the cane, to start community service next week
KUALA LUMPUR: An armed robber, spared the cane, following a sentence revision by a High Court judge, will start his 200 hours of community service next week.
Sales promoter Muhammad Syafiq Abd Wahab, 20, would first undergo 20 hours of counselling and then 30 hours of motivational counselling, said welfare officer Muhd Razmee Abdul Razak.
This would be followed by 150 hours of skill-orientated programmes which would be done in joint-venture with the City Hall.
"We got the power from the City Hall to let those who were ordered by court to carry out the community service to do painting, cleaning parks, night markets and toilets and many other jobs," he said.
On holidays, he said the department would also aske the offender to carry out community service works at their own shelter home - Rumah Kanak-Kanak Tengku Budriah in Cheras.
"They will engage in programmes which will make the children at the shelter home happy," he said outside the courtroom after the case was called up for mention at the Sessions Court here on Tuesday.
He said he would prepare a progress report after a three-month period based on the community service done by Syafiq and submit it to the Sessions Court to look into his progress.
High Court judge Justice Mohamad Zabidin Mohd Diah had on Monday ordered Syafiq to only carry out 200 hours of community service for armed robbery.
Justice Mohamad Zabidin had ruled that the sentence of 10 strokes of light caning together with the community service order meted out by the Sessions Court on June 26 was illegal and that a judge was not supposed to be an executioner.
Sessions Court judge Zainal Abidin Kamarudin had earlier ruled that he would personally cane Syafiq 10 times in the presence of his parents.
Justice Mohamad Zabidin said the Sessions Court judge had erred when he made such an order on the youthful offender.
Justice Mohamad Zabidin remitted the case back to the Sessions Court judge Tuesday on grounds that the community service order was lacking in details.
He ruled that the court must address its mind on what type of community service is appropriate for the offender and specify it in the order.
At the outset of the Sessions Court proceedings Tuesday, Muhd Razmee told judge Zainal Abidin that his department would call Syafiq and his parents between July 13 and 15 to arrange for a meeting with a counsellor.
"The counsellor will observe Syafiq behaviour, whether it is aggressive or passive. We will arrange a schedule for the implementation of the community service order after the counselling sessions," he said.
Muhd Razmee said Syafiq would be punished to carry out the community service during his free time.
Upon hearing this, Judge Zainal Abidin said he would not interfere with the administration affairs and handed over to the welfare department to arrange an appropriate schedule for Syafiq to carry out community service as required under Section 293 (1) (e) of the Criminal Procedure Code.
Zainal Abidin also told Syafiq that "he was lucky".
His lawyer Nik Mohamed Ikhwan Nik Mahamud agreed that it would not be appropriate for Syafiq to carry out the community service before attending the counselling session.
Syafiq's father Abd Wahab Abdul Rahman, 66, told The Star that he would let his son pursue his interest to be a mechanic.
"He is embarassed over the whole thing after being teased by his friends and I believe he has learned his lessons. It is a blessing in disguise for him," said Abd Wahab, who came to court with Syafiq mother Rosnah Mahmud, 61, said.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I am all for community service as penalty for those committing lesser crimes but ARMED robbery? What exactly was he armed with? A knife? A gun? Therefore the intention was to harm someone while he robbed?
People who get caught for khalwat or having peaceful protests have to spend time in jail if they can't pay the fine and this guy goes free, to perform his community service in his free time? And he's only embarrassed at getting caught ROBBING someone??? Not mortified??
What is the matter with these people??
10 comments:
What, you didn't know? Khalwat and standing up for your rights are much worse crimes than armed robbery will ever be.
At this rate we'll make Afghanistan, or even better, Somalia, jealous of the depths we'll have sunken to, in no time.
Get your facts right guys ;
Khalwat is anti religion .....
Standing for one's right is anti-establishment
and
Robbery is only anti-social.
nice cartoon!
im also puzzled why such a light sentence for armed robbery....ok even if its not armed....shudnt it be at least several years jail??
Should have got the Kugan treatment. It is these kinds of madness that gains for people the notion that there is a bias and a prejudice in operation here that has manifested itself from the enforcement divisions to the judiciary. So who is this guy who gets the kids glove treatment? Why is he not subject to the same level of judicial dispensation that many others for lesser offences receive? If one wants to believe that there is a racial bias here, one can, if that is what provides him or her the greatest comfort or satisfaction or reprieve. In this country where anything and everything can be turned into an ugly event, teh judiciary has not only got to do right but be seen to be doing right. community service for armed robbery is not doing right or seen to be doing right.
So who is sales promoter Muhammad Syafiq Abd Wahab, 20?
Simple..
1. It is good for public to know who is the robber. Let him be "a star" for his crime. So his neighbour can be more alert of his presence.
2. Khalwat is not a crime nor a tort. Thus, those who caught khalwat should not be embarrassed in such a way. Embarrassing a khawlat couple is not Islamic and trust me, we will encounter harder time to pull new brothers/sisters.
3. Performing community service may not be a punishment to protestors. Who knows the penalty will be a platform for them to spread their propa, struggle and influent.
ps : If im not mistaken, penalty for khalwat is only paying fine of RM600.
Is there anyway to reduce the fine? hihi huhu
I'm surprised that you people did not know that both khalwat & public protests are more serious sins than armed robbery!
from some of your readers comments ,mm, I think something wrong with their upbringing. And they have the nerve to say robbery is 'only' anti social? Without society, what's the use of religion? I think they have the cause and effect sequence totally wrong. That's why you have the comment like khalwat more serious than robbery. I can foresee where future of this country lies if majority of the people think like this .. sigh & scary >_<
Joseph, you don't get irony, do you?
Josept ,... the irony is : I think my parents brought me up alright .
You guys can thank God that we need not provide these miscreants, like those provided for the prisoners in US prisons, like prime TV viewing time, catered food during festive occasions, gyms and sports amenities etc.
Post a Comment