Three charged with insulting Prime Minister

KUALA LUMPUR: Three individuals were charged separately at a Sessions Court here Friday with allegedly insulting the Prime Minister.  

Recruiter Nor Sabariah Abdul Kadir, 29, was accused of leaving a comment about Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak on the Otai Bersih Facebook page with intention to insult another person.   

She allegedly committed the offence at 5.11pm on Feb 1.  

Ng Thai Quen, 19, a storekeeper, was accused of posting an edited image of Najib and his wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor on his Facebook page between 7pm on Dec 15, 2016 and 7am on Dec 16, 2016.  

The third person, Mazlan Yusoff, was accused of posting an article titled "Zimbabwe Today Is M'sia Tomorrow" with an edited photo of Najib and China's former leader Mao Ze Dong.  

The roti canai seller allegedly committed the offence using a Facebook profile under the name "Zain Al Aznam" at 2.53am on Nov 11, 2016.  

All three were charged under Section 233(1)(a) of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 (Act 588) which carries a maximum RM50,000 fine or one-year imprisonment or both, upon conviction.  

The trio pleaded not guilty and claimed trial.   

Sessions Court judge Zainal L. Saleh fixed bail at RM3,000 in one surety each.  

The cases are set for mention on Oct 27.  

Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission prosecution department director Mohd Sophian Zakaria and DPP Norhani Mohamad Adzhar appeared for the prosecution.