PPIM denies raising funds
> But says it supports campaign for bogus dentist
KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Muslim Consumers Association (PPIM) has denied playing a part in raising funds to pay a court fine for the release of a bogus dentist on Thursday, just six days into her six-month prison sentence.
However, its chief activist, Datuk Nadzim Johan, said the group saw no wrong in other non-governmental organisations helping to raise the RM70,000 fine for the 20-year-old vocational college graduate Nur Farahanis Ezatty Adli.
Nadzim said PPIM only acted as an adviser to Nur Farahanis’ family and lawyer after she was sentenced to six months’ jail on Sept 29 for failing to pay the fine.
“Our question is, why is the public so mad at us? What did we do that they are condemning us? The thing is, you must understand the issue. Even professionals are hitting out at us.
“PPIM did not fork out a single sen. We only advised her family and lawyer when they met us,” he said yesterday at a press conference, adding that the funds were raised by a bikers club, which has ties with Nur Farahanis’ family, with the help of Malaysia Islamic Economic Activist Organisation.
PPIM drew flak from netizens and also professional bodies for its purported role in raising the fine.
The sessions court in Malacca had fined Nur Farahanis RM70,000, in default six months’ jail, for running an unregistered private dental clinic in contravention of Section 27 of the Private Healthcare Facilities and Services Act 1998.
Nadzim said while he acknowledged that Nur Farahanis’ action was wrong, the public should not act as a judge and condemn others who had raise the money for her.
Meanwhile, Bar Council president George Varughese said it was the prerogative of the public prosecutor (PP) whether or not to appeal to enhance Nor Farahanis’ sentence within 14 days from the sentence date, if the PP decided it was inadequate.
“The PP will take into account the nature and gravity of the offence and the mitigating factors in deciding whether or not it is in the public interest to appeal against a light sentence,” he said.