Puan Sri among two remanded for allegedly insulting Johor Sultan

JOHOR BARU: An environmental activist who is a Puan Sri has been remanded for three days for allegedly insulting Johor Ruler Sultan Ibrahim Ibni Almarhum Sultan Iskandar.

The Sessions Court yesterday granted the police’s remand application to investigate Pertubuhan Pelindung Khazanah Alam Malaysia (Peka) president Puan Sri Shariffa Sabrina Syed Akil, 54.

The order was granted by the court’s assistant registrar Hidayah Abdul Manaf.

Also remanded for three days was the NGO’s administrative assistant, Norhayati Shahrom, 51.

Both women, represented by counsel Siti Kasim, were brought to court in a police vehicle at 11am.

Johor police chief Comm Datuk Seri Wan Ahmad Najmuddin Mohd said Shariffa Sabrina and Norhayati were remanded for making comments deemed insulting against Sultan Ibrahim on Facebook.

He said the women were detained in Batu Tiga, Shah Alam, on Thursday under Section 223 (1)(a) of the Communications and Multimedia Act after a police report was lodged against them.

Police have seized their mobile phones and SIM cards.

Siti Kasim, on her FB page, posted a photo of Shariffa Sabrina and Norhayati outside the courtroom and questioned the need to remand them.

In a statement yesterday, Peka, which was formed to create awareness about the preservation and sustenance of the environment, said Shariffa Sabrina was asked to have her statement recorded by police on Wednesday.

“But when she and Norhayati went to the Shah Alam district police headquarters, they were detained and taken to Johor Baru later the same day,” it said, adding that both women had given their co-operation to police.