Prank calls frustrating, court told

GEORGE TOWN: Two emergency response system 999 telephonists told a Sessions Court of their frustration over the disruption caused by repeated prank calls from a man.

Fast food operator Sow Kuen Chun, 23, was charged with making 307 calls to the hotline and harassing officials on three days in 2007.

His case is believed to be the first in the country in which a person has been charged with making prank calls to the Malaysian emergency response system.

Telephonist Rasadah Ismail, 54, on duty at the Alor Setar 999 call centre on Aug 14, 2007, told the court the prank calls were disruptive.

She added that she answered over 20 calls from the accused’s handphone.

Her colleague Mat Rashidi Murad, 39, said the prank calls made it difficult to respond to genuine distress calls.

During cross examination, defence counsel Ravin Vello claimed the accused was disabled and asked Mat Rashidi if he could determine whether the prank caller was disabled.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Radhi Abbas interjected, saying it was not in Mat Rashidi’s job scope to determine a person’s physical ability.

Sessions Court judge Roslan Hamid allowed the line of questioning.

Mat Rashidi said he could not determine whether the caller was disabled.

Sow had pleaded not guilty to the charges on Feb 21 last year. He was said to have made 169 prank calls to 999 on June 5, 2007; 51 on June 11, 2007 and another 87 calls on Aug 14, 2007.

Repeatedly calling a phone number with the intention to annoy or harass is punishable under Section 233 (1)(B) of the Communications and Multimedia Act and carries a maximum fine of RM50,000 or one year jail or both upon conviction.

The hearing continues today.