MELAKA: Non-governmental organisations and members of the public have helped set free a 20-year-old woman from the Sungai Udang prison here.
Nur Farahanis Ezatty Adli, a vocational college graduate here, was released from the prison after serving only six days out of her six months' jail term for failing to pay a court fine of RM70,000 last Friday.
On Sept 29, Nur Farahanis pleaded guilty at the Sessions Court here for running an unregistered private dental clinic at Bakti Homestay in Bukit Katil about 10.15pm on Jan 25.
The offence under subsection 4(1) of the Private Healthcare Facilities and Services Act 1998 is punishable under subparagraph 5(1)(a)(i) of the same act which carries a maximum fine of RM300,000 or maximum jail of six years or both, upon conviction.
However, Muslim Consumers Association of Malaysia (PPIM) and Malaysia Islamic Economic Activist Organisation (PPEM), which read of Nur Farahanis’ plight in the media, decided to raise funds to help her settle the fine.
When contacted, PPIM lead activist Datuk Nadzim Johan said that Nur Farahanis was an intelligent woman who was merely helping to fix simple braces on her friends based on her own experience learnt from Youtube.
“We feel that we need to help her and we also believe that there are some good reasons for us to help her.
“I do not want to say that thecharge was unfair. We feel that we should try to help someone who is trying to free herself from poverty and challenges of life,” he said.
He added that Nur Farahanis initially did not want to plead guilty but decided to do so because she thought the fine would be less.
“We feel that she is still young, has not committed any previous crime, and should be given another chance,” he said.
Those supporting Nur Farahanis’ release had gathered outside the Sungai Udang prison to greet her about 3pm today.
Nadzim said he had spoken to Nur Farahanis who told him that she wanted to take a short break.
“We will continue to help her. Our organisation has always been looking forward to helping hard-working and sincere Malaysians. They are assets to the country and should not be left alone,” he said, adding that this included helping her to register her business and even further her studies.
Nur Farahanis is the eldest out of three siblings. Her father is a petty trader without a fixed income while her mother is a housewife.