The Malaysian Artistes Association (Seniman) recently admitted that the COVID-19 pandemic has made it difficult for them to keep in touch with fallen actor Benjy, who is currently serving his time in an Indonesian prison.
The association's secretary general Mohd Hafiz Mohd Nafiah told Astro AWANI that they could only communicate with the actor through the phone and WhatsApp chats as they were not able to visit him at the Tanjung Gusta Prison in Medan, Indonesia.
"Benjy really needs the support, not just financially, but morally as well. As we all know, he is suffering from asthma, and the inhaler that he needed costs a lot of money," he said.
Hafiz stated that Seniman had previously purchased the inhaler that was priced at RM300 for his use, as that particular type of inhaler was not available in prison.
"Our communications are mostly about his health problems and financial needs for his medication," he said.
He also expressed concerns over Benjy's mental health after three years of imprisonment, adding, "The prison there is different compared to the facilities and treatment that we have here in Malaysia.”
Benjy, real name Khaeryll Benjamin Ibrahim, was nabbed by the authorities in Indonesia back in 2017 after he was found to be in possession of 4.5 grams of methamphetamine. He was sentenced to 11 years in prison by the Medan District Court after being found guilty.
In his previous defence, Benjy stated that he started selling drugs to pay for his mother’s cancer treatment. His mother was the late veteran actress Azean Irdawaty, who passed away in 2013.
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| Benjy was a renowned actor beloved by many prior to his downfall |