Straits Times, Singapore, 6 December 1997

Man ordered to cane son in court over stolen bike

MUAR (Johor) -- A man was ordered by a magistrate to cane his 15-year-old son four times in court after the boy pleaded guilty to concealing a stolen motorcycle.

A Malay tabloid, Harian Metro, reported yesterday that the magistrate Salahudin Hidayat Sharif issued a light cane to the man, a security officer, for the sentence to be carried out immediately.

The boy was given four strokes of the cane in chambers.

Mr Salahudin made the order under Section 293(c) of the Criminal Procedure Code which empowers a magistrate to use his discretion to order a juvenile found guilty of an offence to be given not more than 10 strokes of a light cane by his parent or guardian within court premises.

The boy, a Secondary 3 student, and his friend, Sabudin Mohamed Ghalib, 19, were charged with hiding a stolen motorcycle worth M$2,500 (S$1,100) between Sept 15 and 20 at Taman Chempaka, near Bukit Gambir. Both pleaded guilty.

Mr Salahudin sentenced Sabudin to eight months' jail from the time he was arrested on Sept 20.

The 15-year-old student also faces two charges involving motorcycle theft at the Tangkak court. He pleaded guilty to stealing a M$6,000 motorcycle in Tangkak on Sept 11 and bail of M$1,000 was imposed.

He also pleaded guilty to having a stolen motorcycle worth M$4,000 in Kampung Parit Kerinci, Bukit Gambir, on Sept 20. Bail of M$2,000 was posted for the plea.

The Star, Kuala Lumpur, 13 December 1997

Indon gets 14 years for raping girl twice

KUANTAN: The Sessions Court here yesterday jailed an Indonesian worker to a total of 14 years and ordered that he be given six strokes of the rotan after he pleaded guilty to two charges of raping an 11-year-old Indonesian girl.

Nursalin Jafar, 21, admitted committing the first offence at about 4pm at an oil palm estate in Ladang Kampong Aur, Rompin, on May 30.

He also pleaded guilty to the second charge committed at the same place at 7.30pm on June 3.

Sessions Court judge Mariana Yahya sentenced Nursalin to seven years' jail and three strokes of the rotan for each charge. The sentences are to run concurrently.

New Straits Times, Kuala Lumpur, 23 December 1997

Pudu Jail museum is a family crowd-puller

The experience will certainly pin fear in children, helping them realise that there is a price to pay if they commit a crime.

This may explain why some parents are taking advantage of the school holidays to bring their offspring to witness the hardship of life behind bars.

The X-shaped colonial building also exhibits artefacts, pictures and video recordings from everyday prison life. The former Death Row and the execution chamber are also open to the public for the first time.

The museum is a joint effort between the Prisons Department and Bukit Perwira Sdn Bhd.

Pudu Prison was closed late last year after the prisoners were transferred to the new, RM170 million Sungai Buloh Prison, said to be the most modern and high-tech penal institution in Southeast Asia.

Built in 1895, the nation's oldest prison will remain open indefinitely until the 16th Commonwealth Games next year.

The museum has attracted 400,000 visitors since it was opened to the public in May. Entrance fees are RM12 for adults, RM7 for children and RM5 for pupils in uniform.