PETALING JAYA: A former diplomat has pleaded with the attorney-general (AG) not to press charges against him for allegedly planting and owning cannabis plants, his lawyer said today.
Lawyer Rahmat Mohamed Hazlan said the legal team had also urged the AG to consider pressing a lesser charge against the son of the former Wisma Putra officer who has also been arrested.
“The letter has been carbon copied to various ministers and some members (MPs) of the medical marijuana caucus to push for amendments to the law (to allow cannabis for medical use).
“It was sent through email today and we will send out the hard copies tomorrow,” he said, making reference to a bipartisan committee led by Muar MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman.
Other members of the committee – also known as the medical cannabis caucus – include Pengerang MP Azalina Othman Said, Shah Alam MP Khalid Samad, Kuala Langat MP Dr Xavier Jayakumar, Penampang MP Darell Leiking, Bandar Kuching MP Dr Kelvin Yii, Kuala Kedah MP Dr Azman Ismail, Sibuti MP Lukanisman Awang Sauni and Pasir Mas MP Ahmad Fadhli Shaari.
It was formed last year to study the regulation of ketum and marijuana for medical purposes.
Asked what reasons were cited in asking the AG not to pursue the case against the former diplomat, Rahmat said he could not divulge the details.
The former diplomat – who is 78 years old – was released from remand by the magistrates’ court on May 28. However, the remand against his son, who is 53-years-old, has been extended until this weekend.
The police swoop on the property in Janda Baik, in Pahang, is said to have resulted in the largest cannabis plant seizure so far, as past cases involved plants grown in pots.
Police had said they found rows of cannabis plants around the house, and also dried cannabis leaves and containers of liquid believed to be cannabis oil.
The authorities added there were 102 cannabis plants with a street value of about RM61,200, along with dried cannabis leaves weighing 1.02kg and a bottle of cannabis extract.
Police also said one of the suspects had admitted to having grown the plants by watching a YouTube video and that he had obtained the seeds from Kuala Lumpur.
