KUALA LUMPUR: A former production house technician has been sentenced to 10 years in prison and 10 strokes of the cane by the High Court for possession of 217.75g of drugs last year.
Judge Datuk Azhar Abdul Hamid handed down the sentence to Zainal Abidin Mohd Ali, 46, after he pleaded guilty to two charges.
For the first charge, Zainal Abidin was sentenced to 10 years in jail and 10 strokes of the rotan.
He received an additional one-year imprisonment for the second charge, both sentences to be served concurrently from the date of his arrest on Sept 8 last year.
"I hope you will change and become a better person for your family after completing your sentence," said the judge.
Zainal Abidin was charged with possessing 0.25g of methamphetamine and 217.5g of cannabis at 1.30pm at a house in Bandar Baru Sentul on Sept 8 last year.
The offence falls under Section 12(2) of the Dangerous Drugs Act, which is punishable under Section 39A(2) with a maximum of life imprisonment or not less than five years and a minimum of 10 lashes.
In mitigation, defence lawyer Zulkifli Awang pleaded for a lighter sentence, highlighting Zainal Abidin's remorse and the impact on his family, including his 11-year-old child.
He said that Zainal Abidin's wife works as a babysitter, earning RM60 a day to support the family.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Syajaratudur Abd Rahman argued for a severe sentence, citing Zainal Abidin's two prior drug-related convictions and the need to prioritise public interest over personal circumstances.