Zayn Rayyan’s mother to learn appeal outcome on Sept 28 as court reserves decision

Zayn Rayyan Abdul Matin's mother, Ismanira Abdul Manaf, will learn the outcome of her appeal on September 28, as the High Court has reserved its decision. Judge Noor Hisham Ismail set the date after hearing arguments from both the prosecution and defense. Ismanira, 31, was convicted and sentenced to five years in prison for neglecting her six-year-old son, resulting in physical injuries.

Her counsel, Lavanesh Mahadevan, argued that the sentence was excessively harsh and suggested a fine as an appropriate punishment. The defense also claimed the court made errors in determining that the child's disappearance was due to neglect. The prosecution, however, maintained that the sentence was appropriate and sought a heavier penalty to deter similar acts.

The appeal was filed on January 5 and dismissed an earlier stay application in December 2025, leaving Ismanira to serve her five-year sentence and perform 120 hours of community service.