High Court rejects Ismanira’s appeal, five‑year jail for neglect in Zayn Rayyan case upheld

Shah Alam, September 28 — The High Court today upheld Ismanira Abdul Manaf's five-year jail sentence for neglecting her six-year-old son, Zayn Rayyan Abdul Matin, as the court rejected her appeal to overturn the conviction. Judge Noor Hisham Ismail ruled that the lower court's decision was not in error, finding no flaws in its legal or factual reasoning.

The court confirmed the charge clearly delineated the elements of neglect under Section 31(1)(a) of the Child Act 2001, and the accused had no grounds for misunderstanding. Section 31(1)(a) defines neglect as failing to provide a child with necessary attention, supervision, or care, tailored to the child's age, abilities, and environment.

The court dismissed the prosecution's request for a higher sentence, stating it was neither inadequate nor excessive. The defense argued Ismanira's actions caused Zayn's injuries, but the court rejected this, concluding neglect was separate from the third party's criminal act. The prosecution maintained the sentence was justified to deter similar future offenses, particularly those involving caregivers. Ismanira, 31, must complete 120 hours of community service within six months post her sentence.