She thought they were going to inform her of her son’s execution, but was overjoyed when told that her son, Shahrul Izani Suparman, was given a royal pardon by the Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah and that his jail term had been extended to 2030.
Shahrul was sentenced to death after being found guilty of drug trafficking on Dec 8, 2009.
“I just can’t believe his life has been spared. The prayers of a mother and that of his friends have been answered,” the teary-eyed 58-year-old told reporters here.
Shahrul was arrested in 2003 after police found him in possession of 622 grammes of cannabis during a road block. He was 19 then.
Throughout the trial, he maintained that he was not aware that the drugs – wrapped in two newspapers and placed in separate bags – were hidden in his motorcycle.
For the past 13 years, Sapenah’s life has been filled with dread as she did not know when her son would be hanged.
“They won’t tell you the exact date, but normally they will do so every Friday,” she said, referring to the usual practice of prison authorities.
Now Sapenah – who has been praying every day for her son’s release and who religiously visits Shahrul every week – says she will appeal to secure an earlier release for Shahrul in five years’ time.
Meanwhile, Amnesty International Malaysia executive director Shamini Darshini said the organisation, along with other NGOs and the Bar Council, would push for a moratorium on the death penalty.
“There were talks about doing away with the death penalty since 2010, but until now nothing has happened,” she said.