KOTA KINABALU: A suspended politician was sentenced to eight months’ jail and fined RM5,000 by the Magistrate’s Court for ­molesting an 18-year-old four years ago. Magistrate Dzul Elmy Yunus also ordered former Sabah STAR Putatan parliamentary coordinator Phillip Among, 55, to be jailed another four months if he failed to pay the fine. Phillip was convicted under Section 354 of the Penal Code, which provides for a jail term of up to 10 years, a fine, whipping, or any two of those punishments. However, the court granted Philip’s application to stay the execution of the sentence pending appeal against the decision at the High Court. Phillip is also ­awaiting ­judgment on four other molest charges involving a 2021 Unduk Ngadau Kaamatan contestant, while he was serving as technical head for the competition.

Source: The Star December 20, 2025 11:55 UTC