Cops detain man over FB postings on Johor royalty

JOHOR BARU: Police have arrested an unemployed man, who has also claimed himself as God and Nabi Muhammad, for allegedly insulting the Johor Royal family via his personal Facebook here recently.

Johor Police chief Comm Datuk Wan Ahmad Najmuddin Mohd (pic) said the 37-year-old man was detained by police at around 3.30am on Saturday at his house in Larkin Jaya.

"We were initially probing him for his first Facebook post early this month of insulting the Johor Royal family following a report made by a 31-year-old man at Majidee police station here on  Dec 7.

"Upon arrestment, he is now under investigation for two similar cases for insulting the Johor Royal family institution including the second post on his personal Facebook account at about 30min before he was arrested on Dec 12.

“Initial investigations shows that on Oct 12, he was arrested under Section 506 of the Penal Code for criminal intimidation and was charged on Oct 15 under Section 290 of the Penal Code with RM150 fine," he said.

He told reporters in a press conference at the Johor Police Contingent here on Sunday.

Comm Wan Ahmad said that a mobile phone was also recovered to further assist with the investigations.

“The suspect will be remanded for four days since the day he was detained to assists with investigations and also to check whether he is suffering from mentally illness or there is anyone who provoke him to do such thing,” he added.

He said that the case is being investigated under Section 4(1) of Sedition Act 1984 which carries a maximum fine of RM2,000 or jail for 18months or both upon conviction.

Comm Wan Ahmad also urged members of the public not to misuse technology to violate the law and that the public should not think that they could do as they please and get away with it.

“Sooner or later, they will be brought to justice,” he said, adding that anyone who commit similar offences would be brought to justice as soon as possible following a special task forced formed to interrogate further on this matter.

In several Facebook posts on the suspect’s personal page, he questioned the Johor Ruler’s decision over the banning of vape outlets in the state.