PUTRAJAYA, April 28 — A 41-year-old man was fined RM30,000 by the Sessions Court after pleading guilty to posting highly offensive content and insulting the judiciary on Facebook.
The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) said that Mohamad Azri Sahlam entered the plea at the Keningau Sessions Court in Sabah after being charged under Section 233(1)(a) of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 for knowingly using a network application to initiate the transmission of offensive communication with the intent to annoy others on December 22 last year.
"The court ordered the accused to pay the fine, and he has settled the amount," it said in a statement today.
The offence is punishable under Section 233(3) of the same Act, which carries a maximum fine of RM50,000, imprisonment for up to one year, or both upon conviction.
The MCMC reminded the public to use social media prudently and responsibly to ensure cyberspace remains safe and free from abuse that could cause public anxiety or tension.
"MCMC takes the dissemination of extreme offensive content involving the 3Rs (religion, race, and royalty) seriously.
"Such actions not only undermine the rule of law and the independence of the judiciary but also have the potential to threaten public peace and harmony," it said.
