KUALA LUMPUR: Singer Cliff Umar was fined RM5,500 by the Magistrate's Court in Shah Alam today for the charge of possessing and using drugs last May.
Magistrate Sasha Diana Satuba made the decision after the 42-year-old artiste, whose real name is Abdullah Umar Joseph, pleaded guilty to the two charges read against him, according to Harian Metro.
The court also ordered the father of four to serve an additional prison sentence of 13 months if he fails to pay the fine involved.
Cliff, who is the former vocalist of Project Pistol and champion of the Gegar Vaganza Season 7, was also placed under the supervision of the National Anti-Drug Agency (AADK) for two years.
Based on the amended charge, Cliff was charged with possessing 0.9g of heroin and monoacetylymorphine at Jalan Persiaran Kewajipan, Subang Jaya, at 3.30pm on May 26.
The prosecution is carried out in accordance with Section 12 (2) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 which can be punished in accordance with Section 12 (3) of the same act which provides for a prison sentence of up to five years and a fine not exceeding RM100,000 or both.
He was also accused of deliberately using the dangerous drug 11-nor-delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol-9-carboxylic acid (thc) in the toilet of the USJ8 Police Station in Subang Jaya at 6pm on the same date.
Lawyer Sallehuddin Salam who represented Cliff in his appeal requested a minimum fine to be imposed as a result of his client supporting his wife and four children.
"My client also has financial problems and no regular income since he works as a musician," he said.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Annur Athirah Amran asked for a deterrent punishment due to the frequency of cases and that it involved the public interest.