Big Blue Taxi founder fined RM3,000 for causing public alarm over Rohingya refugees

KUALA LUMPUR: Businessman Datuk Shamsubahrin Ismail was fined RM3,000 by the Sessions Court here on Wednesday (Jan 5) on charges of making a statement that caused public fear and intimidation over Rohingya refugees, two years ago.

Judge M. M. Edwin Paramjothy handed down the sentence to Shamsubahrin, 56, after he upheld his guilty plea on sentencing date today.

The court ordered the accused to be jailed six months if he failed to pay the fine. The accused paid the fine.

A 51-second video recording was also replayed in court today and the accused admitted that he made the statement.

Shamsubahrin is alleged to have knowingly made the statement with intent to cause fear among the people on April 30, 2020.

The link (of his remarks) was read at the Cyber ​​and Multimedia Crime Investigation Division Office, Commercial Crime Investigation Department (CCID), Bukit Aman police headquarters, Level 28, Menara KPJ, at 12.30pm on May 4, 2020.

The founder of Big Blue Taxi Premium Services was charged under Section 505 of the Penal Code, which provides for imprisonment of up to two years or with a fine or both.

Earlier, deputy public prosecutor Najihah Farhana Che Awang sought an appropriate sentence while the accused, who was not represented, appealed for a minimum fine on the grounds that he had cancer and had been infected with the Covid-19 virus.

"I only represent B40 because many taxi drivers are B40, who only rely on government assistance and it is not enough," said the accused.

According to the facts of the case, the complainant (a policeman) was surfing the internet at Bukit Aman CCID office when he saw a video post had been uploaded by Facebook account owner Soleha Ali. - Bernama