Man, 61, charged with offensive Facebook post about Sultan Ibrahim, court grants psychiatric assessment
However, the charges were not read out to the 61-year-old man due to his health and hearing issues.
Judge Ahmad Fuad Othman granted the accused permission to undergo psychiatric assessment, with the case fixed for mention on August 15.
Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) deputy public prosecutor Fadhli Ab Wahab and prosecuting officer Mohamad Azmir Mohd Razali appeared for the prosecution.
A warrant of arrest was issued by the court on 20 June after the man failed to appear in court twice.
The charge, framed under Section 233(1)(a) of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 and punishable under Section 233(3), provides for a fine not exceeding RM50,000, imprisonment for up to one year, or both, upon conviction. — Bernama
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Star
an hour ago
- The Star
MCA rejects MCMC legal demand for Pahang youth chief's apology
PETALING JAYA: MCA has rejected a legal demand from the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) for Pahang MCA Youth chief Wong Siew Mun to issue a formal apology, stressing that freedom of speech must not be suppressed. MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong said the party held an urgent meeting and unanimously agreed that MCMC's demands were both unreasonable and unacceptable. 'MCA fully supports Wong Siew Mun. We firmly uphold the principle that freedom of expression must not be curtailed or compromised. We also believe she acted appropriately,' he said in a TikTok post on Friday (July 4). Dr Wee said Wong had received a legal letter on Thursday from a law firm representing MCMC. The letter reportedly demanded that she take down a Bahasa Malaysia TikTok video on freedom of speech, issue a public apology within 24 hours—with the content subject to MCMC's approval—and provide a written undertaking not to repeat similar comments on any social media platform. Failure to comply would result in civil legal action. Describing the conditions as excessive, Dr Wee said MCA would provide full legal support to Wong. He added that the party had assembled a legal team, including human rights lawyer Edmund Bon, to represent her in all legal proceedings. He reaffirmed MCA's long-standing stance on safeguarding civil liberties, especially the right to express opinions without undue interference or intimidation. On June 18, Wong was summoned by police over comments she made about the government's collection of mobile phone data. She is being investigated for allegedly causing public alarm and misusing network facilities. The investigation follows a TikTok post on 6 June, in which Wong questioned MCMC's move to collect mobile phone data from telecommunications providers. 'The video I posted was based on facts reported by mainstream media and official statements made by a minister and a government agency confirming that mobile phone data is indeed being collected from telcos,' Wong said. She is being investigated under Section 505 of the Penal Code and Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998, relating to causing public fear and misuse of network facilities. Earlier, MCMC clarified that the Mobile Phone Data Collection Initiative involves only eight types of anonymised data from network providers. It does not include personally identifiable information such as names, identity card numbers, or phone numbers. Instead, the data collected includes information such as the Mobile Station International Subscriber Directory Number (MSISDN), unique ID, mobile country code, and GPS coordinates of telco towers, among others. The data collection had raised privacy concerns. Dr Wee had highlighted that the government's efforts to collate detailed records of phone calls and internet usage from telecommunications firms are a violation of the people's right concerning their personal data. He questioned the necessity of such detailed information, especially when MCMC itself clarified that the data is intended for policymaking in the ICT and tourism sectors. 'This isn't about trust in the current government. The real question is: why collect such detailed data on citizens? 'If you're recording who we call, how long we speak, our IP addresses and precise locations—complete with time and date stamps—anyone with access could easily trace it back to our identities,' he had said. @drweekasiong MCA akan terus mempertahankan hak dan kebebasan bersuara rakyat Malaysia sepertimana yang dijamin dalam Perlembagaan Persekutuan. Tekanlah seteruk mana, ia sedikitpun tidak mematahkan semangat kami. Kami di MCA adalah #JurucakapRakyat #teamrakyat original sound - DrWeeKaSiong
Free Malaysia Today
2 hours ago
- Free Malaysia Today
Sabah sports minister Ellron Angin denies role in mining graft scandal
Sabah youth and sports minister Ellron Alfred Angin has denied receiving a RM530,000 bribe in the alleged mining scandal in the state. (Facebook pic) PETALING JAYA : Sabah youth and sports minister Ellron Alfred Angin has denied a news report alleging that he accepted a bribe of RM530,000 in connection with the alleged mining scandal in Sabah. Ellron said the accusations in the report by Malaysiakini are 'baseless slander driven by immature political motives to tarnish my reputation and integrity as an elected representative'. 'I have always upheld the principles of integrity, accountability and clean governance in line with the Sabah state government's commitment to combat corruption,' he said in a Facebook post. 'I have instructed my legal team to take firm action against any party spreading these false allegations.' The Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku (STAR) deputy president's denial follows a rebuttal from party president Jeffrey Kitingan, who was also implicated in the Malaysiakini report, along with four other Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) leaders. On Monday, Sabah assistant industrial development and entrepreneurship minister Andi Suryady Bandy, and Sindumin assemblyman Dr Yusof Yacob were charged with receiving bribes related to mineral prospecting licence applications in the state. Yusof is also the chairman of Qhazanah Sabah Bhd, the state government's investment arm. Businessman Albert Wei was charged with bribing them. The alleged scandal was reported last year after a series of videos linking several Sabah assemblymen to it were leaked. The videos allegedly depicted discussions involving bribery and misconduct related to mineral exploration projects in the state. In February, MACC chief commissioner Azam Baki said the initial batch of videos lacked credibility as they had been heavily edited.
Free Malaysia Today
2 hours ago
- Free Malaysia Today
61 witnesses called in MEX II probe, says Azam
The 18km MEX II extension, intended to link Putrajaya to KLIA, began in 2016 and was initially scheduled for completion in December 2019. (Bernama pic) PETALING JAYA : The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has called 61 witnesses in its ongoing investigation into the Maju Expressway Extension (MEX II) project, says chief commissioner Azam Baki. Speaking at a press conference in Kota Bharu, Azam said that all witnesses were summoned recently. 'I have given my officers a maximum of two months to complete the investigation papers for this case, and I believe that it can be completed sooner and then submitted to the deputy public prosecutor,' he said, reported Bernama. On May 29, MACC seized assets worth around RM32 million as part of its probe into the case. This included a luxury condominium and a plot of land valued at RM24.5 million, as well as nine vehicles valued at RM7.6 million. MACC has also seized luxury watches valued at about RM25 million, designer handbags valued at RM3 million, jewellery and diamonds worth RM6 million, four horses valued at RM400,000, and premium alcoholic beverages worth RM3 million. The anti-graft agency had questioned a corporate figure with a 'Tan Sri' title whom Azam previously said was the main suspect in the case. The corporate figure is being investigated for false claims and misuse of loan bonds related to the highway project. Hundreds of millions in sukuk funds were suspected to have been channelled to a company owned by the 'Tan Sri' and later misused for personal interests instead of the highway project. The funds were allegedly transferred to multiple entities, including proxy companies and the personal account of a family member, and used to acquire real estate, luxury vehicles and goods, as well as to fund gambling activities. The 18km MEX II extension, intended to link Putrajaya to KLIA, began in 2016 and was initially scheduled for completion in December 2019. Last month, works minister Alexander Nanta Linggi said the government was working with all stakeholders to resolve the project's delay, reportedly caused by financial issues.
