A French national accused of drug possession and trafficking in Malaysia is expected to learn his fate by the end of January, his mother and lawyer confirmed on Tuesday.
Tom Felix, 34, a former executive of French waste management company Veolia, has denied all charges since his arrest in 2023, when police found several hundred grams of cannabis in a shared residence with his Malaysian business partner.
The trial, held in Alor Setar, will resume on January 14, when both the prosecution and defence will present their final oral arguments. The court is then expected to deliver a verdict within 15 days.
“If convicted, Tom faces the death penalty, or alternatively, up to 104 years’ imprisonment, 54 strokes with the cane, and a €27,000 (RM129,500) fine,” his mother, Sylvie Felix, previously told AFP.
Malaysian law still allows the death penalty for drug trafficking above a certain threshold, though it is no longer mandatory and no executions have occurred since 2018.
“At this stage, the defence is confident of a favourable outcome, which could result in Tom’s acquittal,” Sylvie Felix added.
