PUTRAJAYA: Two Indonesians had their prison sentences doubled to eight years by the Court of Appeal here on Wednesday (Nov 13) for smuggling 25 migrants out of Malaysia.
Nur Bakti Ab Rahman, 53, and Herman, 50, were initially sentenced to four years in prison each by the High Court.
A three-member panel on Wednesday led by Judge Datuk Che Mohd Ruzima Ghazali upheld the prosecution’s appeal to increase their prison terms.
Delivering the court’s unanimous decision, Justice Ruzima said the offence committed by the duo was serious, as it involved Malaysia’s security and sovereignty.
The panel, which included Justices Datuk Azman Abdullah and Datuk Azmi Ariffin, ordered the two men to serve their sentences from the date of their arrest on Oct 9 last year.
The men had pleaded guilty at the High Court to the offence, committed at Pantai Pulau Carey, Telok Panglima Garang, Selangor, at 1am on Oct 9 last year, along with an accomplice who remains at large.
They were charged under Section 26A of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007.
On Jan 29 this year, the High Court sentenced them to four years in prison, effective from the date of their arrest.
Police investigations revealed that the boat, carrying 13 men, 11 women, and a girl - all Indonesians - was attempting to leave Malaysia for Indonesia via unregistered sea routes.
During Wednesday’s proceedings, deputy public prosecutor How May Ling submitted that the initial four-year sentence was too lenient.
She said the sentence did not reflect Parliament’s intention to impose tougher penalties for migrant smuggling offences.
She emphasised that migrant smuggling, whether into or out of Malaysia, undermines the country’s security and sovereignty by violating its borders.
How also stressed that Nur Bakti and Herman had endangered the safety of the migrants, who were on the boat without life jackets in the dark, all for the sake of making a profit.
Both Nur Bakti and Herman, who were unrepresented, appealed to the court for reduced sentences. - Bernama
