KUANTAN: A social media influencer was fined RM40,000 on Thursday (Jan 29) after he pleaded guilty to posting an offensive video on social media showing three teenage boys giving rice mixed with chicken bones to a homeless man on a sidewalk.
Tang Sie Luk, 23, entered the plea after the charge was read before judge Sazlina Safie, who also ordered four months imprisonment in default of the fine. Tang paid the fine.
He was charged with knowingly creating and posting an offensive video via his Instagram account "aluk_777" with the intent to cause annoyance.
The clip was viewed at the Semambu State Community Service Centre, Lorong Sekilau 58, Jalan Haji Ahmad, here at noon on Aug 4, 2025.
He was charged under Section 233(1)(a) of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998, which carries a fine of up to RM500,000 or imprisonment for a maximum of two years, or both, and also liable to a further fine of RM5,000 for every day the offence persists after conviction.
Earlier, the accused, who was unrepresented, appealed for a minimum fine, saying he was remorseful for the offence and had already made an apology.
However, Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) Deputy Public Prosecutor Fadhli Ab Wahab urged the court to impose a deterrent sentence not only to punish the accused but also to send a clear message to the public to prevent similar offences.
"The victim has also said he felt insulted and angry by the accused's actions. This was not an act of charity. It was a calculated act of exploitation, using human suffering to create social media content for entertainment and public attention," he submitted.
Based on the facts of the case, the accused appears in the video giving food scraps to the homeless man on Jalan Wong Ah Fook, Johor Baru. He also admitted to uploading the content from his mobile phone.
The video, over a minute long, showing three teenage boys giving rice mixed with chicken bones to a homeless man sleeping on a five-foot way, had previously gone viral on social media. - Bernama
