PUTRAJAYA: The difference in fines issued to Maestra Broadcast Sdn Bhd compared to those issued to comedian Harith Iskander and social media user Cecelia Yap are due to legal reasons and not religious ones, says Datuk Fahmi Fadzil.
The Communication Minister said Maestra received a RM250,000 fine under Section 233 of the Communication and Multimedia Act 1998 (CMA 1998) as the company was held responsible for the actions of its DJs.
This follows the posting by Era FM, under Maestra, of a controversial video of its DJs mocking the Hindu religion on multiple social media platforms earlier in March.
Fahmi said Harith and Yap were charged as individuals, each being fined RM10,000 under the same Section 233 of the CMA 1998 for uploading offensive content on Facebook involving Islam on March 5.
"Maestra was made to take responsibility for its DJs' actions, which is why its fine is higher. Harith and Yap were charged as individuals who committed the offensive acts, hence why they were fined less," Fahmi explained to reporters at a press conference at the Communication Ministry’s office on Wednesday (March 12).
He added that Harith and Yap’s fines were lower because they were investigated before the revised increased penalties under the amended CMA 1998 were passed on Feb 11 this year.
According to the current amended CMA 1998, the maximum court-imposed fine for offences can be up to RM500,000, while fines can be issued up to a maximum of RM250,000.
Harith and Yap had uploaded offensive content on social media on Jan 18 this year, according to the Malaysian Communication and Multimedia Commission (MCMC).
On Tuesday (March 11), Fahmi said that no further action would be taken against the three radio presenters involved in the Maestra case.
