Grieving mum backs Fahmi’s stand on cyberbullying

PETALING JAYA: The mother of deceased social media influencer A. Rajeswary, better known as Esha, has backed a call by Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil to take action against social media platforms over disparaging content uploaded by users.

Puspa Rajagopal, 56, said she agreed with Fahmi’s views as she did not want other people to suffer the same fate as her daughter.

She said she felt frustrated when she watched Esha’s cyberbully Shalini Periasamy, who was one of the two individuals who were charged with communication offences linked to Esha’s death, appearing unconcerned when she stepped out of the courtroom.

On Sunday, Fahmi said his ministry would take action against social media platforms over past incidents of cyberbullying.

He believed that these platforms had not been very serious in addressing the issues faced by Malaysians.

He also urged the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission to carry out necessary action to counter social media issues faced by netizens.

Esha was found dead in a condominium unit in Setapak on July 5, a day after lodging a police report at the Dang Wangi police station over threats made against her.

Apart from Shalini, 35, Esha’s other alleged cyberbully, lorry driver B. Sathiskumar, 44, was also charged.

Shalini, the owner of a private psychiatric care nursing home, was fined RM100 in default seven days’ imprisonment for deliberately uttering vulgarities with the intention to incite anger and disturb peace through her TikTok account.

Sathiskumar pleaded guilty to Section 233(1)(a) of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 but his sentencing has been deferred pending the outcome of the second charge of posting lewd comments with the intention to outrage the modesty of Puspa on the same day.