KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 25 — A public university student was fined RM10,000 by the Sessions Court today after pleading guilty to creating and posting an obscene video on his X account last year.
Judge Suhaila Haron imposed the sentence on the defendant, Muhammad Aidil Akmal Azhar, 24, and ordered a four-month imprisonment in default. The defendant paid the fine.
Based on the charge, the accused knowingly made and initiated the transmission of an obscene video with the intent to annoy others, via the account @sanomanji89 on X, at a residence in Shah Alam, Selangor, at 10.45pm on March 1, 2024, which was viewed at a condominium here at 11.00am on April 4 last year.
He was charged under Section 233(1)(a) of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998, which provides for a maximum fine of RM50,000, imprisonment of up to one year, or both, with a further fine of RM1,000 for each day the offence persists after conviction.
According to the statement of facts, a digital forensic officer from the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) performed data preservation and forensic analysis on the @sanomanji89 account, subsequently identifying the username “Manjiro”, confirming the said video had been uploaded from a mobile phone seized from the accused.
MCMC deputy public prosecutor Fadhli Ab Wahab urged the court to impose a proportionate sentence, emphasising the serious national impact of obscene content on social media, which affects moral, social, economic, security and international standing.
“Young people are the most affected group due to their high exposure to social media. If left unchecked, this will lead to a generation with weak morals, low moral resilience and a lack of focus, ultimately undermining the nation's human capital development.
“The Court may also take judicial notice of the significant increase in such cases on social media. Failure to take stern action will normalise this kind of pervasive behaviour,” Fadhli submitted.
The defendant's counsel, Nurshah Kamarudin, pleaded for a lenient sentence, citing his client's clear criminal record, genuine remorse and assurance that the offence would not be repeated.
“His guilty plea has saved the court’s time and resources. The Court should also consider his full cooperation during the investigation and his family circumstances; his mother works as a clerk and his father is a restaurant worker, together supporting six children,” said Nurshah, who handled the case with co-counsel Muhammad Iman Azhar.
