Award-winning activist charged over offensive post on FB

KUALA LUMPUR: Activist Heidy Quah Gaik Li has claimed trial at the Sessions Court here to sharing offensive content in a Facebook post that alleges mistreatment of refugees at an Immigration detention centre.

The 27-year-old founder of the NGO Refuge for the Refugees, was charged before Sessions Court judge MM Edwin Paramjothy yesterday.

She is accused of making the offensive post through her Facebook page under the name “Heidy Quah” with the intent to insult others at about 5.30am on June 5 last year.

The post was later read at the Immigration Department’s detention and depot management division office at their headquarters in Putrajaya on June 10, 2020.

Quah was charged under Section 233(1)(a) of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 and is punishable under Section 233 (3) of the Act.

She faces a maximum fine of RM50,000 or imprisonment for up to one year, or both, upon conviction and shall also be liable to a further fine of RM1,000 for each day the offence continues after the conviction.

Deputy public prosecutor Noor Dayana Mohamad offered bail at RM7,000.

Lawyer New Sin Yew, who represented Quah, asked for a lower bail.

He said the NGO Quah founded has been around for almost a decade and that she has received many awards for her humanitarian work, including a “Woman of the Future” award.

“I submit that RM7,000 bail is excessive. I humbly pray for a lower amount to be imposed, which is a sum of RM2,000,” New said.

The judge then fixed bail at RM2,000 bail in one surety.

The case is set for mention on Sept 6.