Appoint defence counsel – not halal food – should be priority for Malaysian detained in Japan for fraud

 

“NO access to halal food.”

That seemed to be a primary concern surrounding a Malaysian being detained in Japan on the suspicion of being involved in an online fraud syndicate.

Details remain sketchy but according to Malaysian Humanitarian Organisation (MHO) secretary-general Datuk Hishamuddin Hashim, the man-in-hot-soup identified as Muhammad Faiq Zafran Muhammad Jailaini was subsisting on vegetarian fare.

“Currently, Faiq is being held at a police station. The conditions there’re not too bad but obtaining halal food may be somewhat difficult. He may have to rely on vegetables and rice.”

Faiq has become a cause célèbre of sorts since being reported missing in Tokyo on Dec 2 last year.

It should be noted the halal food-deprived prisoner was charged in a Japanese court last month and pleaded guilty to two fraud charges under Articles 246 and 60 of the Japanese Penal Code.

There were queries from humanitarian groups regarding the delay in info being released Faiq’s detention. Moreover, there are also conflicting accounts surrounding his arrest, including initial reports claiming that he was apprehended with money and gold worth about RM500,000.

In a statement dated Feb 17, Wisma Putra explained the delay in releasing relevant information pertaining to his arrest.

The Embassy has been informed by the investigative authorities in Toyama that, at the material time, the necessary consent to disclose information to the Embassy was not granted by Muhammad Faiq.

Consequently, the Japanese authorities were legally prohibited from notifying the Malaysian Embassy or releasing details regarding the investigation.

Upon successfully securing official confirmation of the detention from the Japanese authorities, the Foreign Ministry immediately contacted the next-of-kin to convey the information.

The Ministry has continued to communicate with the family to ensure they are updated on the latest developments as received through official channels.

Faiq will now face a third charge on March 12 and his family have been scrambling to appoint a lawyer because Japanese procedures stipulated that all facts of a case be disclosed only to lawyers.

The latest developments were shared on NST’s Facebook page with the post having generated 816 likes, 1.1K comments and 56 shares at time of publication.

As expected, the issue of availability of halal food in a Japanese lock-up was highlighted with some proclaiming that the convicted felon is lucky he has any sort of sustenance at all.

One wondered aren’t seafood which are consumed in abundance in Japan considered halal while some tickled pink commenters cheekily suggested that Japan prisons, police stations and detention centres “would even obtain halal certification from Malaysia” or “build halal prison/police station”.

One presumed Muslim commenter even pointed out that nobody dies from having to adhere to a vegetarian diet.

There were a few who tried to underline the importance of halal food for Muslims. But this line of reasoning was quickly shut down as Faiq was a convicted felon, hence making such demands could be viewed as a form of “VIP entitlement”.

Another commenter sarcastically suggested that perhaps the authorities should have air flown halal meals to the unfortunate prisoner “for his crucial survival”.

Some observers mocked the tone of the narrative which seems to suggest the crime was of secondary importance. The main focus was whether the Muslim wrongdoer had access to halal fare.

Some wondered if the great defender of race and religion – UMNO Youth chief Datuk Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh – was going to kick up a fuss at this supposedly mistreatment of a Malay prisoner abroad.

It is quite interesting to note that the reports seem to paint Faiq as an unsuspecting victim duped into some fraud scheme and now has to endure non-halal prison food.

There has been precious little detail as to the crimes he has pleaded guilty to or even what possessed him to travel to the Land of the Rising Sun in the first place.

Indeed, instead of harping about the poor Malay youth detained without access to a halal menu, perhaps it would be constructive to highlight the crimes he has pleaded guilty to or about the on-going process to find a Malay/English conversant Japanese defence counsel to represent him.

If indeed he has been a victim of an online scam, then the focus should be advising others on how to spot red flags and how to avoid being similarly duped.

Logic dictates that should be crux of the matter. But this is Malaysia where logic is often drowned in a flood of religious self-righteousness. 

 

- Focus Malaysia