New Straits Times, Kuala Lumpur, 9 February 1998

Carpenter gets 18 years for raping another stepdaughter

SUNGAI PETANI, Sun. - A carpenter, who is serving 15 years in jail for raping his 16-year-old stepdaughter was today sentenced to 18 years' jail and 10 strokes of the rotan by the Sessions Court after he pleaded guilty to raping another stepdaughter.

Ramli Ang Abdullah, 47, of Kulim, admitted to raping the 13-year-old girl at No 18E, Kampung Padang Tembak in Kulim about 9am on July 7, last year.

Judge Ghazali Cha ordered the sentence to run concurrently with the 15 years' jail sentence which he is serving now for raping the older stepdaughter.

This was Ramli Ang's third conviction.

Deputy public prosecutor Azmi Ariffin told the court that the 13-year-old stepdaughter lodged the police report on July 8 last year.

He told the court that the victim's ordeal began in early 1996 when the victim and her mother stayed in Air Itam, Penang.

In the incident, Ramli Ang, a Muslim convert, had asked the girl to buy him cigarettes.

"When the victim returned from the shop, she was given RM1 by the accused who later asked the girl to go to the bedroom and raped her," Azmi said.

The second incident took place in April last year at their new home at Kampung Padang Tembak.

Azmi said the victim was alone and was cooking in the kitchen when she was ordered by Ramli Ang to go to the room. When she refused, the accused dragged her into the room and raped her.

The girl was repeatedly raped in May 1997 and on July 7, the victim was again raped.

Azmi said Ramli Ang was arrested about 1.45pm on July 7 after the victim's 16-year-old sister lodged a police report that she (the older sister) was raped by the accused on July 6.

The victim lodged her report a day later.

Azmi urged the court to pass a heavy sentence as the accused did not show any remorse despite being previously jailed for committing the same offence.

He said Ramli Ang was jailed seven years and given five strokes of the rotan for raping a foreign tourist in Air Itam on Feb 20, 1989.

Besides being sentenced to 15 years' jail for raping his older stepdaughter, the accused was also ordered to be given 10 strokes of the rotan.

In mitigation, Ramli Ang apologised to the court and expressed regret for his action. He pleaded for a lenient sentence and asked that it run concurrently with his present jail sentence.



RETURNING TO THE CELL ... Ramli Ang (left) being led out of the Sessions Court by Prison officers after the sentencing. - NST picture by Rozaki Daud.

Sarawak Tribune, Kuching, 12 February 1998

TYT grants freedom to life prisoner after spending 17 years in cell

MIRI - For Tawang anak Jamal, 34, the Year of Tiger has been very kind to him.

As a person convicted of life imprisonment for armed robbery, nothing is more exhilarating for Tawang than receiving the news that the Head of State Tun Datuk Patinggi Dr Haji Ahmad Zaidi Adruce bin Muhammed Noor granted him clemency on Hari Raya Adilfritri.

"I will definitely write a letter to our honourable Head of State to express my heartfelt gratitude," pledged Tawang in front of his lawyer Bong Ah Loi recently.

Tawang was then 17 years old when he and two other teenagers, aged 15 and 16, respectively committed armed robbery of cash amounting RM194 and a wrist watch valued RM70 from two men at Mile 18½, Bukit Song at Miri-Bintulu Road on November 15, 1981.

Tawang was carrying one unloaded shotgun belonging to his father, a retired Ranger, whilst committing the offence.

The trio were later arrested and charged under section 5 of Fire Arms (Increased Penalties) Act 1971. They were the only ones in the State so far being charged under this section.

They pleaded guilty to the charge before the then Sessions Court Judge Joseph Wong on December 28,1981. Each of them was sentenced to life imprisonment and whipped with six strokes of rotan.

However the other two juveniles appealed and had their sentences quashed by the High Court on technical grounds.

Tawang's parents, Jamal anak Nyimbong, 67 and mother Inseng anak Lubik , 63 used to visit their son regularly at the Lambir Prison, which is near to their house at Kampung Abdul Rahman. The parents approached the lawyer Bong Ah Loi last year to file a petition on behalf of Tawang to the Pardon Board.

They said that they need him to support them as they were growing old. Ah Loi also extended a copy of petition letter to State Assemblyman Encik Aidan Wing.

Interviewed at his home, Tawang was glad that he had regained his freedom. But at the same time he felt sad of bidding farewell to all the wardens and other prisoners whom he had befriended for many years.

"Life in the prison was monotonously dull - from the first day I stepped in until I was released a week ago," he said.

During those times, he also learnt to make furniture and handicraft. "It was during this time of frequent solitary I came to realise and felt remorseful over my wrongdoing," added Tawang, who had spent 17 years in the cell at Lambir Prison.

He stressed that he would now treasure every moment he has with the parents especially his father. Tawang, who is the second eldest in the family of five children, is currently helping his parents at the farm. He added that he need some time to adapt himself to the society before getting a job. "Any job will do," he said.

Inseng said she and her husband were very happy when an officer from the Prisons Department informed them about their son's release.

"The whole family went and waited outside the Lambir Prison to welcome our son back home," she said.

"We thought that we would never see our son again," she said with tears of joy.