KUCHING: A 21-year-old Indonesian woman was fined a total of RM6,000, in default 18 months’ imprisonment, after pleading guilty to drug- and prostitution-related charges last month.
Nur Fauziyah entered her guilty plea before Judge Musli Ab Hamid, Magistrate Ling Hui Chuan and Magistrate Mason Jaro Lenya Barayan.
For the first charge, she was convicted under Section 372B of the Penal Code for engaging in prostitution. The section provides for a jail term of up to one year, or a fine, or both upon conviction.
She also faced a second charge under Regulation 39(b) of the Immigration Regulations 1963, punishable under Regulation 39 of the same Regulations, which carries a penalty of imprisonment for up to six months, or a fine of up to RM1,000, or both.
For the third charge, she was found to have committed an offence under Section 15(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, punishable under Section 15(1) of the same Act, which provides for a fine of up to RM5,000 or imprisonment for up to two years upon conviction.
The court also ordered that she be referred to the Immigration Department after serving her sentence. She was further ordered to undergo police supervision upon completing her sentence.
According to the facts of the case, Nur Fauziyah was arrested by police while engaging in prostitution activities on Feb 26 at about 4pm at an apartment near Jalan Tun Datuk Patinggi Haji Ahmad Zaidi Adruce.
Police seized several items from her, including a condom handed over by the accused, cash amounting to RM270, a yellow-and-orange striped bath towel, and her Indonesian passport.
Investigations revealed that Nur Fauziyah had entered Kuching using a social visit pass and was involved in prostitution activities.
At the same time, an initial urine screening conducted by police found that she tested positive for several drugs, namely amphetamine, methamphetamine, methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA), and methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA).
A subsequent laboratory analysis conducted by the Drug and Research Laboratory of the Pathology Department at Sarawak General Hospital confirmed that her urine sample tested positive for the same substances.
The prosecution was conducted by deputy public prosecutor Asmawi Nur Haqim Mokhtar, Ahmad Fauzulufti Suriani and Muhammad Aidil Akmal Sharidan. Nur Fauziyah was unrepresented.
