KUALA LUMPUR – A former marketing officer, Suhaini Sarwan, 47, was sentenced to six years in prison today after pleading guilty to two charges of possessing materials related to the terrorist group Daesh, also known as the Islamic State.
The high court, presided over by judge Datuk Muhammad Jamil Hussin, delivered the sentences of three years for each charge, to run concurrently from the date of her arrest on May 30, 2024, reported Bernama.
The confiscated items, including a laptop and books linked to Daesh, are to be forfeited and handed over to the prosecution.
The offences were committed in two separate locations in Kota Tinggi, Johor. Suhaini was found with materials concerning Daesh and terrorist acts on her laptop at Jalan Baiduri, Taman Daiman Jaya, at 2.20 pm on May 30, 2024.
Additionally, five books containing similar content were discovered at Felda Lok Heng Barat on the same day. Both charges fall under Section 130JB(1)(a) of the Penal Code, which carries a maximum punishment of seven years in prison, a fine, and forfeiture of any property used or intended to be used in committing the offence.
During mitigation, Suhaini’s lawyer, Sazlinidayu Kamarul Baharin from the Legal Aid Department, emphasised the personal circumstances of her client, who is a single mother supporting two daughters aged 14 and 18, as well as her 72-year-old father.
“My client graduated with a Master’s Degree in Electrical Engineering and she has repented and promised not to repeat the mistake,” she said.
However, deputy public prosecutor Mohammad Fakhrurrazi Ahmad Salim pressed for a severe sentence, citing the gravity of the offence and its potential repercussions on national security. – January 9, 2025