A SENIOR citizen was fined RM30,000 after pleading guilty to posting false content about the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and the Conference of Rulers on his Facebook account on February 8.
Johari Ismail, 67, was charged with knowingly sending the communication using his Facebook account, with the intention of hurting others’ feelings.
He was accused of posting false content that was made public, claiming that the Conference of Rulers had voted to take action against the government for failing to implement an additional document related to the case of former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.
The post was later discovered by the investigation team of the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) at MCMC Tower 1, Jalan Impact, Cyberjaya, around 12:59 PM on February 9.
The charge was made under Section 233(1)(a) of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 (Act 588), and the offender could face punishment under Section 233(3) of the same Act.
The law stipulates a fine of up to RM50,000 or imprisonment for up to one year, or both, and may impose an additional fine of RM1,000 for each day the offense continues, if convicted.
The prosecution was led by Deputy Public Prosecutor Faten Hadni Khairuddin from MCMC, while Johari appeared without legal representation.
Faten Hadni requested the court to impose a heavy sentence as a lesson for Johari, as spreading false information could erode public trust in the government and the Conference of Rulers.
"A severe punishment is not just a lesson for the accused but also for the public, to show that the spread of false news is highly disapproved, should be prevented, and stopped,” she said.
"After the accused uploaded this content, it spread widely through WhatsApp. Therefore, I request a sentence that reflects the seriousness of this offense so that the public will be more cautious and avoid committing the same mistake," she added.
Judge Ahmad Fuad Othman subsequently imposed a fine of RM30,000 on the accused, with a six-month imprisonment term if the fine is not paid.
Earlier, the judge also advised Johari, a father of four, to realize the impact of his post, as it not only caused resentment towards the government but also led to a diminished view of the Royal Institution in the eyes of society. – February 25, 2025
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