Man fined RM12,000 for threatening FB post against the king

KUALA LUMPUR: A Felda oil palm farmer was fined RM12,000 by the Sessions Court here on Monday (April 22) for making a threatening post against the Yang di-Pertuan Agong on his Facebook page in August last year.

Judge Siti Aminah Ghazali handed down the sentence on Samsuri Ramli, 45, after he pleaded guilty to the charge.

The court also ordered the accused to serve six months in jail if he failed to pay the fine. Samsuri paid the fine.

The man was charged with making and initiating the transmission of threatening communications that the Yang di-Pertuan Agong would be dethroned if he did not remove Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim (as prime minister), on his Facebook profile "SamBanjar Perak” with the intent to annoy others at 15.33pm on Aug 13, 2023.

The post was later seen at a condominium unit in Jalan Tong Shin, Bukit Bintang, here at 9pm, the same day.

The charge, framed under Section 233(1)(a) of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998, is punishable under Section 233(3) of the same act, which carries a maximum fine of RM50,000 or imprisonment up to one year or both and shall be further fined RM1,000 for each day the offence is continued after conviction, if convicted.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Nurilya Ellyna Nor Azmal asked for the appropriate punishment to be imposed on the accused to serve as a lesson to the accused and the public about the responsible use of social media.

However, Samsuri, who was unrepresented, pleaded for leniency, as he had to provide for his wife, their four school-going children, and his elderly mother. - Bernama