KUALA LUMPUR: A man was sentenced to seven days’ jail and a RM5,000 fine by the sessions court here for uploading an insulting Facebook comment on the death of the late Sultan of Kedah, Sultan Abdul Halim Mu'adzam Shah.
Judge Zainal L. Salleh meted out the punishment on Sheikh Noor Affandi Sh. Ab. Ghani, 40, after he pleaded guilty to committing the offence earlier this month.
The court ordered the accused to serve the jail sentence from yesterday, and a further three months should he fail to pay the fine.
Sheikh Noor Affandi was charged with committing the offence under Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998, which provides for a fine of up to RM50,000 or a jail term of not more than a year, or both.
Earlier, the accused, who was not represented, pleaded for a light sentence, but deputy public prosecutor Amira Sariaty Zainal asked for a punitive sentence, as insulting the royal institution is a serious offence. -- BERNAMA