UMI`S FATHER APPEALS FOR VISIT

PASIR PUTEH (Malaysia), Oct 10 (Bernama) -- Mohamad Lazim Jusoh, 51, father
of Umi Azlim, whose death sentence for drug smuggling in China has been commuted
to life imprisonment, hopes that Wisma Putra (Foreign Ministry) will appeal to
the Chinese authorities to allow him to visit his daughter.

He said the lighter sentence made his family happy and it would mean
the world to him if he could see her during the Aidilfitri festivities.

"I'm thankful to God and all those who have helped to get her a
lighter sentence," he told reporters here Friday.

Umi, a university graduate, was sentenced to death by the Guangzhou High
Court on May 15 last year after being found guilty of smuggling 2,983kg of
heroine at the Shantou Airport.

Lazim said he was given the good news by Umi Fund Committee
coordinator Hu Pang Chow, who was informed two weeks ago by the lawyers
appointed by the
committee in China.

He said the visit was important as he hoped to take care of several
matters,
including giving his daughter strength and motivation to be patient as efforts
to get her sentence lightened further would be continued.