By Dorcas Ting
KUCHING, June 24: A security guard was sentenced to eight months’ imprisonment and fined RM50,000 by the Sessions Court here today after he pleaded guilty to posting offensive remarks against the Yang di-Pertuan Agong on social media.
Judge Iris Awen Jon imposed the sentence on 46-year-old Raden Mohamad Norhakim for an offence under Section 233(1)(a) of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998.
The court also ordered that he serve an additional two months in jail if he fails to pay the fine. His prison sentence takes effect immediately, while the mobile phone used to upload the post was forfeited to the government.
The charge stated that the accused had intentionally uploaded offensive content via his Facebook account from a condominium near Lorong Lapangan Terbang at about 7.27am on Feb 12, 2025.
The post allegedly accused the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, in His Majesty’s role as Head of Islam in Malaysia, of failing to take firm action against individuals who insulted the religion. It also contained disparaging remarks directed at national leaders.
According to case facts, the post was detected later that same day by an assistant director from the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission’s (MCMC) Content Moderation Department in Cyberjaya.
Following a review that found the content to be highly offensive, a report was lodged, triggering an investigation.
The probe led to an enforcement operation on June 17, during which MCMC officers seized the accused’s mobile phone. The device was found to still be logged into the Facebook account, allowing investigators to recover the incriminating post.
In mitigation, the unrepresented accused pleaded for a lighter sentence, saying he had been influenced by discussions and comments circulating on social media at the time of the posting.
He expressed remorse, saying he regretted his actions and pledged not to repeat the offence, adding that the incident had taught him to be more cautious when commenting on sensitive issues online.
In passing sentence, judge Iris stressed that offences involving public interest warranted serious punishment.
She also noted that the accused’s apology should be directed to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and Malaysians, rather than the court.
Earlier, MCMC prosecuting officer Nazrul Nizam Mohd Zameri urged the court to impose a deterrent sentence, arguing that the remarks not only insulted the Yang di-Pertuan Agong but also had the potential to disrupt national harmony if left unchecked. — DayakDaily
