SEREMBAN: A 53-year-old e-hailing driver was fined RM4,000 by the Magistrate’s Court after he pleaded guilty to a charge of making a provocative statement capable of threatening public order.
Magistrate Nurul Saqinah Rosli ordered P. Mahendra Boopathy to serve seven months in jail in the event he was unable to pay the fine.
The accused was charged with committing the offence, which included uploading a video on his Facebook account questioning the land status of a mosque along Jalan Rasah near here.
He had also posted a question asking if a Hindu temple built under a bridge was considered illegal, and about the status of the mosque which was located under a flyover.
Mahendra was charged with committing the offence around 12.30pm on Feb 27 at the Masjid Jamek Dato' Bandar Hj Ahmad in Kg Dato Mansor along Jalan Rasah near here.
He was charged under Section 505(b) of the Penal Code which criminalises making, publishing or circulating any statement, rumour, or report with the intent to cause, or which is likely to cause fear or alarm to the public.
Offenders can be jailed up to two years or fined or both upon conviction.
Mahendra, who was unrepresented, pleaded for a minimum fine as he had no income now after his car was involved in an accident and had to provide for his sick father.
He told the court he was remorseful for his actions and promised not to repeat it.
"I would also like to apologise to the Muslim community for making the statement," he said.
Mahendra said he also faced financial problems and had to borrow from a moneylender to pay his fine.
State prosecution director Ku Hayati Ku Haron asked for a stern punishment as a deterrent to others.
"Let this not only be a lesson to the accused but others as well.
"Such actions can jeopardise racial harmony and public order.
"No one should resort to this, more so if it involved any place of worship," she said.
