SHAH ALAM, Sept 6 (Bernama) -- An Indonesian forklift handler was sentenced to 10-and-a-half years jail and 10 strokes of the rotan by the High Court here today for possession of 745.7gm of cannabis three years ago.

Suriady Hasby, 28, admitted committing the offence at a house in Lorong Anggerik, Rantau Panjang, Klang, at about 8pm on July 28, 2005.
The offence carries life imprisonment or at least five years jail and at least 10 strokes of the rotan on conviction.

Judicial Commissioner P.Nallini, in passing sentence, said the court took into account the public interest and a deterrent sentence was necessary to reflect the seriousness of the offence.

She ordered the sentence to run from the date of his arrest on July 28, 2005.

Suriady had earlier claimed trial to trafficking in the drug, an offence which carries the mandatory death sentence, but changed his plea on Aug 28 after the prosecution amended the charge to one of possession.

Deputy public prosecutor Aslina Joned appeared for the prosecution while Suriady was represented by counsel K.A.Ramu.

__________________
*For Entertainment Purposes Only.* Remember, spread the love and hit the +rep button. And, check out www.kiva.org

You know what the "funny" thing is? That 10 years jail time isn't really a far stretch from laws in, say the US. The cane beating thing, admittedly won't happen to you in most western nations, but I'm sure that cane pain is nothing compared with jail.