JUDGMENT

Introduction

[1] The common and central issue in the present appeals is on the constitutional validity of s 37A of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 ("DDA"), with reference to arts 5, 8, and 121 of the Federal Constitution ("FC").

[2] Each of the appellants in these two appeals was charged before and convicted by two different trial judges for drug trafficking under s 39B of the DDA. However, since both appeals were premised on one common and crucial issue we proceeded to hear them together while conscious of the fact that on merits these two appeals might differ. We therefore heard submissions on the common issue of these two appeals.

[3] This is a unanimous judgment of the remaining judges of the court delivered pursuant to s 78(1) of the Courts of Judicature Act 1964. Mr Justice Balia Yusof Haji Wahi has since retired on 25 March 2019.

The Salient Facts

Criminal Appeal No: 05-94-05-2017(B) ("1st Appeal")

[4] The charge against the appellant in the 1st Appeal (hereinafter "1st appellant" for ease of reference) read as follows:

"Bahawa kamu pada 19 Ogos 2014 lebih kurang jam 2.00 pagi di Cawangan Pemeriksaan Penumpang 2 (CPP2) Balai Ketibaan Antarabangsa, Lapangan Terbang Antarabangsa Kuala Lumpur (KLIA), di dalam negeri Selangor Darul Ehsan telah didapati mengedar dadah berbahaya iaitu Methamphetamine seberat 2556.4 gram dan dengan itu kamu telah melakukan suatu kesalahan di bawah s 39B(1)(a) Akta Dadah Berbahaya 1952 yang boleh dihukum di bawah s 39B(2) Akta yang sama."