Malaysian Man Imprisoned For Life For Possesion Of Cannabis

A Malaysian man was sentenced to life imprisonment for possession of cannabis. 

Yasin Sulaiman, a popular singer and composer was found guilty by the High Court on Aug 22 for all three charges and will receive 16 strokes of the cane in addition to his life sentence. 

For the first and second charge, the 48 year-old was accused of possessing less than 200 grams of cannabis and cultivating 17 cannabis plants in his condominium on March 24, 2022. 

For the third charge, Sulaiman was accused of self-administration of 11-nor-delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol-9-carboxylic acid (also known as 11-Nor-9-carboxy-THC) while under custody at the Narcotics Office police headquarters. 

Sulaiman was originally acquitted and discharged of the three drug cases but was ordered by the court to be placed in psychiatric care. When he appeared in court on the first day of the trial, the singer told reporters that he was being treated with as many as ten types of medication. During the trial a psychiatrist testified that Sulaiman was suffering from bipolar and hyperthyroidism. 

Cannabis Still Considered ‘Dangerous Drug’ In Many Parts Of The World

Malaysia has one of the strictest anti-cannabis laws in the world. 

Anyone caught with cannabis can be charged under Section 6 of the Dangerous Drugs Act (a law which has not been updated since 1952) which carries a minimum 5 year to life imprisonment sentence and a minimum of 10 strokes of the cane. 

A stark contrast to their Japanese counterpart which has a legal loophole that makes it illegal to possess cannabis but not to get high. On the other side of the pond in Europe, 21 out of 27 countries in the European Union have legalized medical marijuana while most have decriminalized recreational use. 

Even here in the United States, which for a long time has dismissed the benefits of cannabis, is moving towards declassifying marijuana as a ‘dangerous drug’.

Most Malaysians Want Cannabis Legalized

A survey conducted in 2023  among Malaysians saw overwhelmingly positive opinions on medical cannabis. 

The study by Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (MARDI) surveyed 200 general public and medical practitioners and found that 81 percent of the former were in favor of cannabis while 74 percent of the latter approved of commercial cannabis but for specific patients and under strict control. ,

Health Minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa confirms that the study was an effort to review the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, the Poisons Act 1952, and the Sale of Drugs Act 1952 which currently prohibits any cannabis related research and clinical trials. 

“Up until March 8, 2023, the Ministry of Health (MOH) hasn’t received or issued any applications for clinical trial import licenses (CTIL) or clinical trial exemptions for manufacturing (CTX) regarding the import of products (medicines) containing cannabis extract for clinical trials in Malaysia,” said Dr. Zaliha.

“

The Ministry of Health welcomes any research and clinical trials focused on cannabis extract for medical purposes. If a product is scientifically shown to be effective for treating certain diseases, the relevant party can apply to register it with the Drug Control Authority and eventually market it in Malaysia.”