JOHOR BARU: A Singaporean security guard was sentenced to 14 days’ jail and fined RM7,000 after pleading guilty to insulting Islam.
Mohamed Anim Atam (pic), 56, was sentenced by Magistrate A. Shaarmini after pleading guilty to the offence.
According to the charge, Mohamed Anim had deliberately uttered words insulting Islam with the intention of wounding the religious feelings of another person.
He was accused of committing the offence while travelling from Jalan Tun Razak to Jalan Meldrum here at about 5pm on July 30.
The charge was framed under Section 298 of the Penal Code, which provides for imprisonment of up to one year, a fine, or both upon conviction.
Deputy public prosecutor Eizlan Azhar sought an appropriate sentence, citing the case’s circulation on social media and its implications for race, religion and royalty (3R) issues.
The accused, who was unrepresented, appealed for a lighter sentence, saying he suffered from high blood pressure and was undergoing divorce proceedings that required him to appear before the Syariah Court in Singapore.
On July 30, a video purportedly showing the Singaporean man insulting Islam while travelling in an e-hailing car went viral on social media.
Following the incident, the suspect was arrested on Aug 18 by officers from the Criminal Investigation Division of the Johor Baru Selatan district police headquarters, with assistance from the Singapore police.
Police also seized a mobile phone from the suspect to assist in investigations.
