KANGAR: A crab trader today pleaded not guilty at the Session Court here today to a charge of posting offensive remarks against the Raja of Perlis Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin Putra Jamalullail in a Facebook posting last month. The accused, Hasbullah Mohammad, 41 from Changlun, Kedah only nodded and claimed trial when the charge was read by the court interpreter before Judge Musyiri Peet.
According to the charge, Hasbullah had used communications services via Facebook application under username "Muhammad Muhammad (ku tehh ku muhamnad)" to upload the comment against the Raja of Perlis with the intention to hurt the feeling of others. He is alleged to have committed the offence on Mar 6, 2024 about 3.26am.
The charge was framed under Section 233(1)(a) of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1988 (Act 588) and is punishable under Section 233(3) of the same Act.The charge carries a fine up to RM50,000 or imprisonment not more than a year, or both.
Perlis Prosecution director Muhamad Asyraf Md Kamal and Deputy Public Prosecutor Alia Suzila Chek Pi prosecuted while the accused was represented by lawyer Syazwan Shaidan from the National Legal Aid Foundation.Asyraf urged the court not to offer bail to the accused since it is a serious offence related to religious, racial and royalty (3R) issue which has becoming rampant lately.
In mitigation, Syazwan urged the court to impose a minimum bail amount as the accused has a mental health issue and is supporting his elderly paralysed mother.
He informed the court that the accused has to attend follow up treatment for his psychiatric issue at Kangar and Kuala Lumpur hospitals.
The court subsequently ordered the accused to undergo mental health evaluation at a psychiatric hospital for one month.
The court also did not offer bail to the accused, with the matter to be decided after the court obtained his psychiatric report.
Musyiri later fixed May 15 for mention date.