Latest news with #Rayer
The Star
29-05-2025
- The Star
Court to evaluate mental health before sentencing young mother in baby's death
GEORGE TOWN: The High Court will consider a social welfare report before sentencing a young mother who was originally charged with the murder of her newborn baby. She allegedly threw the baby from the 13th floor of her apartment five years ago. M. Santhiea's lawyer, RSN Rayer, informed the court that it is standard judicial practice to review a report from the Social Welfare Department prior to sentencing, especially in cases involving young offenders. "The accused was only 18 years and three months old at the time of the offence," Rayer stated. He also mentioned that Santhiea underwent a psychiatric evaluation at Tanjung Rambutan Mental Hospital as ordered by the court and expressed hope that comprehensive mental health reports would be taken into account before the court delivers its judgment. Additionally, the court granted Rayer's request to reduce the original charge from Section 302 of the Penal Code for murder to Section 309A for infanticide. Santhiea was initially charged under Section 302 for allegedly causing the death of her newborn baby at the Sri Ivory Apartment in Ayer Itam at around 8.25am on July 10, 2020. The murder charge carries the death penalty or imprisonment of 30 to 40 years and includes a mandatory minimum of 12 strokes of the cane upon conviction. The amended charge under Section 309A states that Santhiea caused the death of her newborn daughter while suffering from a disturbed mental condition resulting from childbirth. A conviction under this section carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a fine. High Court Judge Datuk Rofiah Mohamad agreed that the sentencing would take the social report, particularly the assessment of Santhiea's mental health, into consideration. She directed that a welfare officer from the Northeast District Social Welfare Department be present during the proceedings. The court has scheduled the sentencing for June 30.
The Star
24-04-2025
- Politics
- The Star
Penang PAS leader apologises to Rayer over racism claims
Jelutong MP RSN Rayer (second from right) shaking hands with Penang's Opposition Leader, Muhammad Fauzi Yusoff, (in blue) after the defamation suit, with them are Rayer's lawyer Simon Murali (extreme right) and Muhammad Fauzi's lawyer Yusfarizal Yusoff (extreme left) outside a Sessions Court in George Town, Penang. GEORGE TOWN: Penang's Opposition Leader, Muhammad Fauzi Yusoff, has issued a formal apology to Jelutong MP RSN Rayer for comments he made about the latter in 2023. Muhammad Fauzi from PAS read out his statement of apology before Sessions judge Helmi Ghani in open court and admitted he was wrong to claim that Rayer was being racist, arrogant, and irresponsible. Muhammad Fauzi said that his statement was made based on unverified information from several individuals who met him about a fire incident in Solok Sungai Pinang on June 2, 2023. "During a speech on June 2, 2023, at a Perikatan Nasional talk in Balik Pulau, I made statements against the Jelutong MP (Rayer), relying on information from several people who met me regarding a fire incident. "I made a mistake by taking verbal information from several of those people who were at that time in an emotional state. "I did not check with the residents and the public about the validity and accuracy of the verbal information relating to the incident," he said in court on Thursday (April 24). Muhammad Fauzi, who is also the Penang PAS Chief, said he did not want to prolong the matter. 'To avoid prolonging the matter further, and to focus on more meaningful work, like developing the nation and the welfare of the people of Penang, I offer this public and unconditional apology to the plaintiff (YB RSN Rayer). "I willingly withdraw the statement I made during the talk on June 2, 2023 as described in the statement of claim. "I hope that we can turn a new page and move forward with the spirit of unity for the well-being, harmony and prosperity of the Malaysia we love," he said. Muhammad Fauzi was ordered to pay Rayer RM10,000 in legal costs apart from the apology. In Sept 2023, Rayer filed a defamation suit against Muhammad Fauzi for comments made about him at a talk. In his statement of claim, Rayer said Muhammad Fauzi had lied in his speech and had depicted him (Rayer) as being racist, arrogant and irresponsible in carrying out his duties as an MP. Rayer alleged that Muhammad Fauzi had claimed that Rayer had told victims of a fire in Jelutong that he did not mind losing Malay and Indian votes. Rayer said Fauzi claimed that the victims had scolded Rayer and his aides for visiting them only after a team from PAS had done so. Rayer said he had met the fire victims in the morning that day, while the group from PAS visited them at around 3pm. Rayer was represented by lawyer Simon Murali while Yusfarizal Yusoff represented Muhammad Fauzi.
Free Malaysia Today
24-04-2025
- Politics
- Free Malaysia Today
Penang PAS chief apologises to Rayer in court over defamation
Penang PAS chief Fauzi Yusoff and Jelutong MP RSN Rayer shake hands outside the court, accompanied by their lawyers K Simon Murali and Yusfarizal Yussoff. GEORGE TOWN : Penang PAS commissioner Fauzi Yusoff today apologised to DAP's RSN Rayer in court as part of a settlement in a defamation suit over comments made during a ceramah two years ago. During a 'PN Best' ceramah in Balik Pulau on June 2, 2023, Fauzi had accused Rayer of being racist, arrogant, and irresponsible. He also claimed Rayer had told fire victims in Jelutong that he did not care about losing Malay and Indian votes. Reading out his apology before the sessions court here, Fauzi said the remarks were made without verifying the accuracy of what some people had told him. He also said that the information came from people in an 'emotional state'. 'To avoid prologing the matter further, and to focus on more meaningful work, like helping the people of Penang, I offer this public and unconditional apology to YB RSN Rayer,' he said. Fauzi, the Penang opposition leader, also retracted the remarks made at the ceramah. The apology was recorded as part of a consent judgment before judge Helmi Ghani. As part of the terms, Fauzi will pay Rayer RM10,000 in costs: RM5,000 by May 24 and the remaining RM5,000 by June 24. Lawyers K Simon Murali and Kok Yuen Lin appeared for Rayer, while Fauzi was represented by Yusfarizal Yusoff. In his statement of claim, Rayer said Fauzi's statements were baseless and had damaged his reputation. He sought damages and a public apology, including one posted on social media platforms.
