TEMERLOH: A labourer was sentenced to a day’s jail and fined RM8,000 after pleading guilty to uploading an obscene communication against the Sultan of Pahang, Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah on Facebook last year.
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Sessions court Judge Manira Mohd Nor ordered Yusaini Razab @ Che Soh, 42, from Kuala Krai, Kelantan to serve three months’ jail if he failed to pay the fine.
In her judgment, Manira said the sentence took into account the accused’s appeal, adding that the offence was serious as it involved contempt against the royal institution.
“You should be more careful after this when uploading content on social media. Contempt against the royal institution should be curbed and the court needs to teach you a lesson,” she said.
Manira added that the punishment should serve as a lesson not only to the accused but to society in general.
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Yusaini was accused of making and initiating communication that was obscene in nature against Sultan Abdullah, who is also the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, with the intention to annoy others on Facebook under the profile name “Al Naml”. It was read at 9pm, March 7, 2020, at a house at Taman Permatang Shahbandar in Maran.
The charge was framed under Section 233(1)(a) of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1988 (Act 588) which is punishable under Section 233 (3) of the same act which carries a maximum fine of RM50,000 or imprisonment of up to one year or both and can be fined a further RM1,000 a day during which the offence continues after conviction.
Police arrested Yusaini on June 17, 2020, following a report lodged by members of the public.
Deputy public prosecutor Ain Fadilah Md Ali requested the appropriate punishment, saying it was because Yusaini’s action of uploading obscene communication against the royal institution was an irresponsible act and had disturbed harmony among the people.
Pleading for leniency, the accused, who was unrepresented, said his income was only RM1,500 per month which was used to support his ageing mother.-BERNAMA