Mother Pleads For Royal Pardon For Son Serving Life In Prison

---

 
Feridah Ismail (third from right) with representatives from Suaram and Suhakam after submitting the memorandum seeking pardon for her son.KUALA LUMPUR: A 68-year-old mother is appealing for a royal pardon for her son, who was sentenced to life imprisonment in 2001 for a firearm-related offence.
According to Suara Rakyat Malaysia (Suaram) programme manager Nik Azura Nik Nasron, Affandi Abdul Rahim, then 20 years old, was stopped by a policeman on patrol in Gombak, Selangor, for riding a motorcycle without a helmet.
A scuffle ensued after he was stopped, which eventually led to Affandi snatching the policeman’s gun from his waist and directing it towards the officer.
After releasing a gunshot into the air, Affandi fled with the gun and passed it to his uncle. He was subsequently arrested by the police, Nik Azura said.
Affandi, now 42, was also given six strokes of the cane for the offence.
His mother, Feridah Ismail, 68, said Affandi was a good man and had helped send her to work every day on his motorcycle.
“He never had a criminal record or caused distress to other people before that fateful incident.
“Three days ago, he called me saying he would come home soon and take care of me and he prayed that I’d still be alive,” she told FMT, failing to hold back her tears.
Feridah said she also prayed that Affandi, who is serving his sentence at Tapah prison, would be freed one day.
She said Affandi had asked her to seek help from Suaram two years ago, but the Covid-19 outbreak had prevented the NGO from extending its help.
Today, Suaram joined Feridah in submitting a memorandum to the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam), urging it to assist the family in their bid to obtain a royal pardon for Affandi.
Nik Azura urged the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) to look into Affandi’s plight, adding that when his trial took place, the family did not have the funds to fight the case. - FMT

---