PETALING JAYA, MALAYSIA - With no bail offered in court, the son of a former private secretary to the former prime minister will be spending Hari Raya Aidilfitri in the Sungai Buloh prison.

Yesterday, Muhammad Ezra Rusli, 27, was charged in two different courts with three offences, one of which was unbailable. Ezra's father, Datuk Rusli Abd Malik, was a former private secretary to Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

At the Sessions Court, the self-employed man was charged with possessing a hand grenade at his family home in Kota Damansara at 1pm on Sept 8. He claimed trial.

Deputy public prosecutor Shah Rizal Abdul Manan informed the court that no bail was offered as the offence which was under the Firearms (Increased Penalties) Act 1971 was unbailable.

Judge Aslam Zainuddin did not fix bail and set Oct 19 for mention to allow Ezra to appoint a lawyer.

Ezra was then taken to the magistrate's court where he was charged with intimidating his 61-year-old father by saying that he was going to kill him with a Glock gun and cause him harm.

Ezra allegedly committed these offences at the same house between 3.30pm and 5pm on Sept 5. He pleaded not guilty to the offences.

Shah Rizal did not propose bail but submitted a letter dated Sept 8 from a doctor who had treated Ezra at the Sunway Medical Centre, which stated that Ezra needed psychiatric treatment.

"I urge the court to set a mention date to decide if the accused would need to be sent to Hospital Bahagia, Ulu Kinta, Perak, for examination," he said. Magistrate Aishah Hijriah Arshad fixed Oct 19 for mention.

--New Straits Times