26-2-2025 (KUALA LUMPUR) A 38-year-old travel agency manager received a substantial prison sentence after admitting to a series of serious offenses including illegal firearms possession. The Sessions Court handed down multiple sentences totaling over 14 years, though the convicted will serve a reduced term due to concurrent sentencing arrangements.
Hafizul Hawari stood before Judge Zulkifli Abllah and acknowledged his guilt across seven distinct charges, ranging from possession of an unlicensed firearm to using falsified vehicle registration. According to court documents, all offenses occurred on April 15, 2024, within the premises of a local private hospital.
“The court has carefully considered both the severity of these offenses and their implications for public safety,” stated Judge Zulkifli during the sentencing hearing. The gravity of weapons charges in particular appeared to influence the court’s decision.
The Malaysian Firearms Act imposes strict regulations on weapons possession, with legal experts noting that unauthorized firearms typically result in mandatory sentences. Former Deputy Public Prosecutor Ahmad Fairuz commented in a recent legal symposium that “firearms offenses are treated with particular severity due to their potential connection to violent crimes.”
The primary charge – possession of an Austrian-made Glock 19 pistol – resulted in the most severe penalty: six years’ imprisonment plus six strokes of the cane. Additional charges included possession of 33 PMC 380 AUTO bullets without proper licensing and possession of explosive materials.
Further charges involved multiple counts of identity document possession, raising concerns about potential identity fraud. The defendant was found with identification cards belonging to three different individuals aged 29, 34, and 35.
Court records indicate that while this case has concluded, Hafizul faces additional serious charges at the Sepang Sessions Court. These include an attempted murder charge related to an incident involving his wife at Kuala Lumpur International Airport on April 14, 2024, just one day before his arrest on the firearms charges.
During mitigation proceedings, defense counsel Nik Mohd Faris Syazwan Zainuzzaman conveyed his client’s apology for the offenses, though specific details about mitigating circumstances were not elaborated upon in open court.
