Federal Court upholds Sibu death sentence over 371 g of cannabis
The Federal Court in Putrajaya on 23 January 2009 dismissed the final appeal of former college student Teng Howe Sing, 31, affirming the death sentence imposed for trafficking 371.12 grams of cannabis collected from a Sibu courier office in March 1999. The court agreed he had known what the parcel held.
The Federal Court in Putrajaya dismissed Teng Howe Sing’s final appeal and
affirmed his conviction and mandatory death sentence for trafficking371.12
grams of cannabis.[1][2]Federal Court judge Datuk Zulkefli Ahmad
Makinudin said the court did not wish to disturb the findings of the lower
courts, which had both concluded Teng knew the drugs were in his
possession.[1][2]
Teng, 31, a former college student, was charged over two compressed blocks
of dried leaves collected from the Skynet courier office in Sibu at about
7.50pm on 17 March 1999 and seized in front of the WWW Chat Cafe in Jalan
Kai Peng.[1][2]Police lying in ambush shouted “Polis, jangan lari” as
Teng and another man walked toward a motorcycle; Teng threw away the parcel
and was arrested, while the other man, Moh Yong Ming, turned prosecution
witness.[1][2]Teng had claimed the parcel with a consignment note signed
under the fictitious name Ling Hang Wei, and the chemist confirmed the
contents were cannabis.[1][2]The courts applied the statutory presumption
of trafficking, which Teng failed to rebut with reasonable doubt.[1][2]
Teng showed no emotion as the sentence was reaffirmed, then spoke with his
parents before officers led him to prison.[1]
Case data
Every number and detail the sources state, with the sources that state it.
On 19 October 2026 the Sibu High Court sentenced Tiong Soon Hieng, 41, to life imprisonment and 12 strokes of the cane for trafficking 5,081.06 g of cannabis. Judge Wong Siong Tung declined the death penalty and dated the term from his arrest on 6 January 2023 outside a coffee shop in Bintangor.
Cannabis 5.081 kgPrison life imprisonment and 12 strokes
Kuala Lumpur High Court on 29 September 2026 sentenced Dasham Novada Wickramathunga, 33, to 10 years' jail and 12 strokes of the cane after he pleaded guilty to an alternative charge over about 2.57 kg of cannabis found at a Jalan Ipoh residence in April 2024.
S. Mohan, 38, and Ahmad Shamil Abdul Rashid, 28, were sentenced to 30 years in prison and 12 strokes of the cane for trafficking 139 kg of cannabis from a Bangsar car park in 2022. The judge found the case proven beyond reasonable doubt; the prosecution had sought the heavy term over the quantity.
Malaysia's Federal Court reinstated the trafficking convictions and 30-year sentences of Azril Azhar Ahmad and Zulfattar Md Ridzuan for 264.36 g of cannabis, after the Court of Appeal had reduced the charge to possession. Both had been released in February 2026.