SANDAKAN: Two foreign brothers and a local woman were sentenced by the Magistrate’s Court here, Tuesday, for giving false information when applying for an identity card for an individual who was not the woman’s biological child, last year.
Mohammad Firman Rahman, 22, Mohammad Luqman Rahman, 20, pleaded guilty separately before Magistrate Nur Faezah Jafry.
Firman was jailed five months from the date of arrest and fined RM1,500, or a month’s jail for committing the offence on Feb 15 2023, at 12.35pm, at the Sandakan National Registration Department (NRD).
Luqman was jailed five months from the date of arrest for committing the offence at the same location, date and time.
Meanwhile, the woman Ramla Lampe, 49, pleaded guilty before Nur Faezah to giving false information by claiming she was the biological mother of Firman and Luqman when they applied for an identity card.
Ramla was charged separately with Firman and Luqman, and were sentenced for two counts.
For the first count, she was jailed seven months from the date of the arrest and fined RM2,000, or three months jail.
For the second count, Ramla was jailed seven months and was ordered to serve the jail sentence concurrently.
Firman, Luqman and Ramla were charged under Section 25(1)(b) of the National Registration Regulation, which provides for a jail term of up to three years or a fine, on conviction.
Unrepresented, Firman pleaded for a lenient sentence as he works as a fisherman and have to take care of their parents and was remorseful.
Luqman, who is also unrepresented, pleaded for a lenient sentence as he is also remorseful.
Counsel Mohd Nazri Zikiri, representing Ramla, applied for lenient sentence as she has seven children, self-employed and is the only source of income for the family.
Firman and Luqman were ordered to be referred to the Immigration Department after serving their sentences.
NRD Prosecuting Officer, Mohd Naser Mohd Nadzeri, asked the court to impose a preventive sentence.
This is to give awareness to the community about the issue of identification documents which is a very serious, sensitive issue and involves national sovereignty.
He submitted that if the impersonator succeeds in obtaining the identity card, the impersonator will get all the facilities and advantages as a citizen while the impersonator is not eligible.
