<figure id="attachment_3116969" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-3116969" style="width: 1600px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="wp-image-3116969 size-full" src="https://media.freemalaysiatoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/26ac92db-ismanira-abdul-manaf-bernama-pic-24725.webp" alt="Ismanira Abdul Manaf" width="1600" height="1000" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-3116969" class="wp-caption-text">Ismanira Abdul Manaf filed a notice of appeal to challenge her conviction and five-year jail term for neglecting her autistic son, Zayn Rayyan Abdul Matin. (Bernama pic)</figcaption></figure>
SHAH ALAM: Ismanira Abdul Manaf, the mother of the late six-year-old autistic boy Zayn Rayyan Abdul Matin, has cited special circumstances involving her other autistic son in seeking to stay her prison sentence pending an appeal.
Her lawyer, Haresh Mahadevan, told the High Court that her six-year-old son required continuous care, routine, close monitoring, and emotional support from his biological mother.
&#8220;If this application for a stay of execution is not allowed, it could adversely affect the child’s condition and may result in emotional distress, developmental regression and depression,&#8221; he said.
Haresh said child psychologist Dr Noor Aishah Rosli had reported that the boy suffered from significant emotional distress when separated from Ismanira.
He said forcing her husband, Zaim Ikhwan Zahari, to bring the boy to Kajang prison every two months for visits would not be suitable.
&#8220;As an autistic child, he relies heavily on physical touch as a primary means of emotional regulation, comfort and communication.
&#8220;However, prison visits at Kajang are conducted strictly through a glass screen, prohibiting any form of physical contact, including hugging, touching or other comforting gestures essential to his psychological stability,&#8221; he said.
Haresh also said the prison environment was inherently harsh, noisy and intimidating, and not conducive to a child’s emotional welfare, adding that Ismanira had no prior criminal record and had attended her trial without fail.
Deputy public prosecutor Raja Zaizul Faridah Raja Zaharudin opposed the stay, saying the defence had provided no medical affidavits regarding the child’s condition.
Justice Aslam Zainuddin fixed Dec 23 for a decision.
Ismanira filed a notice of appeal last month to challenge both her conviction and the five-year jail term imposed on her.
In her Oct 31 decision, trial judge Syahliza Warnoh rejected Ismanira’s earlier bid for a stay of execution, ruling that there were no special circumstances to justify it.
Ismanira was also ordered to sign a two-year good behaviour bond with one surety and a security deposit of RM3,000, and to complete 120 hours of community service within six months of her release.
Ismanira and Zaim were charged last year with neglecting Zayn in a manner likely to cause him physical harm.
Zaim was acquitted in July after the prosecution failed to establish a prima facie case against him.

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