PUTRAJAYA: A former Universiti Islam Antarabangsa Malaysia (UIAM), Muhdalena Ahmad, shared the delusion of a man who claimed to be ‘Imam Mahadi’, the Sessions Court here was told yesterday.
Director and forensic psychiatric consultant at Hospital Bahagia, Ulu Kinta, Dr Rabaiah Mohd Salleh, 58, said Muhdalena suffered from psychotic depression and was emotionally unstable on the day of the amok incident.
“The patient (Muhdalena) befriended Khalil Afendi Abd Hamid through the Internet and was influenced by Khalil Afendi’s thinking,” she testified at the trial of Muhdalena who is facing four charges in
connection with an amok incident in the compound of the Prime Minister’s Department two years ago.
Dr Rabaiah said based on information she gathered from Muhdalena, Muhdalena’s husband and Muhdalena’s caution statement, she was of the view that Khalil Afendi suffered from a serious mental problem, possibly schizophrenia or manic.
“The patient (Muhdalena) was looking for peace of mind. She was influenced with Khalil Afendi’s ideology and on the day of the incident, what she did was because she was obsessed with Khalil Afendi’s belief,” she added.
Dr Rabaiah said on the day of the incident, Muhdalena was of of unsound mind and was not aware of her actions.
“What she did was an action as a result of a psychotic mind, where the psychotic element was sharing Khalil Afendi’s delusion and her action was to help ‘Imam Mahadi’ save the world,” she said when questioned by lawyer M Visvanathan, who is representing Muhdalena.
She said Muhdalena also said she heard voices.
Dr Rabaiah said Muhdalena was admitted to Hospital Bahagia on Oct 12, 2012 and was there for three weeks before being discharged on Nov 5, 2012. While Muhdalena was in the hospital, Dr Rabaiah and two medical officers, interviewed, examined and observed her.
She said Muhdalena was also given anti-depressant medicine and counselling.
“From the interview, examination and observation, a medical report dated Nov 5, 2012 was produced where I made a conclusion that Muhdalena suffered from a mental illness, which is psychotic depression, and during the incident she was of unsound mind and was not aware of her actions,” she added.
She disagreed with deputy public prosecutor Nadia Mohd Izhar who said that Muhdalena was only malingering.
She said the symptoms of Muhdalena suffering from depression were feeling upset, sleeping problems, see no future for her, loss of appetite and often reminisced about negative things in her life.
On Jan 10 this year, Muhdalena, 29, was ordered by the Sessions Court to enter her defence on the four charges under the Penal Code, the Corrosive and Explosive Substances and Offensive Weapons Act 1958 and the Restricted Area and Prohibited Places Act 1959.
She is accused of criminal intimidation with intent to cause grievous hurt to an auxiliary police personnel, Lance Corporal Ridzuan Megat Ahmad, in the vicinity of Complex B of the Prime Minister’s Department on July 9, 2012.
Muhdalena is also charged with possession of a weapon (sword) at the same place and time.
For the charges under the Restricted Area and Prohibited Places Act, Muhdalena is alleged to have disobeyed Ridzuan’s orders to put down the sword and for failing to abide by a minister’s order to obtain a pass or permit before entering the premises.
Muhdalena and Khalil Afendi Abd Hamid, 47, were alleged to have run amok at the complex and were shot. Khalil died from injuries sustained in the incident.
Hearing before Judge Mohamed Kamil Nizam continues on March 7. — Bernama