ACTIVIST and graphic designer Fahmi Reza was arrested by the police in Penampang, Sabah, yesterday evening over alleged incitement against the incoming Head of State, Tun Musa Aman.
Sabah Police Commissioner Datuk Jauteh Dikun confirmed this and said more than 30 police reports were lodged against Fahmi.
"We have opened an investigation paper and are probing the allegations under the Sedition Act," Jauteh said.
The investigation centres on allegations of inciting public hatred towards a state leader, linked to a satirical poster produced by Fahmi.
"We are treating this as an offence under the Sedition Act as the materials he distributed aim to create public unrest," Jauteh added.
The controversial posters have reportedly been removed from several areas, but authorities continue to monitor the situation closely.
Fahmi Reza, a political graphic designer from Peninsular Malaysia, announced his arrival in Kota Kinabalu on December 27, 2024.
“If you don’t hear any updates from me by 8 pm, that likely means I will be spending the night in lockup,” he said in a post on X.
He shared a photo on his Facebook page, taken in front of the Maybank building on Jalan Pantai. He held a provocative poster criticizing the newly appointed Yang di-Pertua Negeri Sabah.
Many view his activities as attempts to incite discord and disrupt the state's harmony. In response, several non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have filed police reports against him, urging authorities to take appropriate action.
Additionally, some groups have called on the state government to ban Fahmi Reza from entering Sabah, citing his actions as provocative and potentially harmful to the unity of the state's diverse communities.
Meanwhile, Suaram executive director Sevan Doraisamy said Fahmi’s detention was a “draconian response to the exercise of freedom of expression using satire”.
He said the government’s persistent targeting of Fahmi despite Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s statement on Dec 21 opposing his arrest, underscores its growing intolerance towards criticisms against the government. - December 31, 2024
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