Youth denies insulting royals on FB

JOHOR BARU: A 19-year-old youth has pleaded not guilty in the Sessions Court to a charge of posting vulgar and insulting remarks on Facebook against the Johor royalty.

Muhamad Isyraf Shamsudin, who is from Kelantan, allegedly wrote the remarks against the Johor Sultan and Permaisuri on Rare Johorean, a public Facebook page, on Feb 10.

According to case facts, the remarks were uploaded by a Facebook user with the name “Muhd Israf”.

He was charged under Section 233 (1)(a) of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 and faces a fine of up to RM50,000 or a year in jail, or both, if found guilty.

Asking for lower bail, Muhamad Isyraf’s counsel, Muhammad Hasif Hasan, said his client was only 19 years old and unemployed.

Muhammad Hasif said the teenager has also promised to give his full cooperation.

Johor prosecution unit head Saiful Edris Zainuddin had asked that bail be set at RM5,000.

Judge Meor Sulaiman Ahmad Tarmizi fixed bail at RM4,000 in one surety and set June 2 for mention. Muhamad Isyraf posted bail.