MUDA president Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman has again asked the government to re-examine the law regarding medical marijuana, after nasyid singer and composer Muhammad Yasin Sulaiman was yesterday given a discharge not amounting to an acquittal (DNAA) for trafficking narcotics.

In a statement, the 29-year-old cited Thailand, which recently amended its drugs laws, dropping marijuana from its list of controlled substances and becoming the first Asian country to allow its people to use marijuana.

“More than 40 developed countries have already enacted laws to allow the use of medical marijuana,” he said, adding that Indonesia has also begun public discussions to this end.

Yasin was charged with trafficking in cannabis weighing 214g at his residence at Persiaran Surian Damansara Indah Resort Home, PJU 3, Kota Damansara, Petaling Jaya, at 5.30pm on March 24

Trafficking in drugs is punishable by death, or life in prison.

However yesterday the public prosecutor applied to withdraw this charge, with the singer given a DNAA, which was substituted with two new charges: possession of cannabis weighing 194g and cultivating 17 cannabis plants in plastic pots at his residence.

Yasin denied both new charges.

Syed Saddiq said Malaysia cannot be left behind as more countries continue to legalise the use of marijuana for medical purposes.

He said the science behind the use of medical marijuana is clear and recognised by the World Health Organization. 

He said cases like that of Yasin, who according to his lawyer uses marijuana to manage bipolar disorder, should be a signal to the government to help those like him. – July 7, 2022.