MALAYSIA, SEREMBAN: A popular local deejay has been languishing in a prison in Indonesia for the past year over alleged possession of psychotropic pills in front of a leading hotel in Bali.

Kevin Arokiasamy, 39, popularly known as "Lil Kev", was once part of the famous "Morning Crew" on Hitz.fm, alongside "Fly Guy" Saufian Mokhtar, who shot to fame in early 2000.

He was expected to be sentenced soon after he was caught with 2.4g of syabu and Ecstasy pills in front of Harmony Hotel in Bali.

Bali police arrested Arokiasamy with an Indonesian woman, identified as Juwita Rendiana, 28, and seized 0.2g of crystal methamphetamine (syabu) in a plastic bag from his pocket in December 2008.

The remaining drugs were found in a mobile phone box in his bag.

Police also seized a bundle of Malaysian currency and a digital weighing scale.

Indonesian police have since charged Arokiasamy under their anti-narcotics law, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years' imprisonment and RM139,400 fine upon conviction.

It was learnt that Indonesian police had earlier suspected the couple were dealers but could not charge them due to insufficient evidence.

It was understood that Arokiasamy, of Prima Duta Condo, Kuala Lumpur, had gone to Bali on Dec 8 and was met by Juwita, who is from Denpasar.

An unidentified man was alleged to have given him the mobile phone box containing the drugs while the couple were on their way to the hotel.

Wisma Putra, when contacted, confirmed that Arokiasamy had been arrested by Indonesian police. "There is nothing we can do," said a Foreign Ministry official who did not wish to be named.

"He has been detained under Indonesian anti-narcotics laws and will be tried accordingly.

"The only thing we can do is to monitor the trial and offer any form of assistance possible."

In 2000, Arokiasamy had filed an originating summons against Airtime Management and Programming Sdn Bhd, which had ordered him transferred from the Hitz.fm Breakfast Shift to the Drive Shift.

He sued the subsidiary of Astro, which is owned by Measat Broadcast Network Sdn Bhd, for the change in his working hours, which he claimed was a breach of his employment terms.

Following this, he disappeared from the public ear and later opened a pet boutique and grooming parlour with his wife in Taman Sri Hartamas, Kuala Lumpur.

Sources in the local music industry said Arokiasamy had left for Bali a few years ago and was spinning music at some popular hotels there.

-New Straits Times