A LABOURER was sentenced to a day’s jail and fined RM8,000 after pleading guilty to uploading obscene communication against the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah on Facebook last year.

Temerloh Sessions Court judge Manira Mohd Nor ordered Yusaini Razab @ Che Soh, 42, from Kuala Krai, Kelantan to serve three months’ jail if he failed to pay the fine.

In her judgment, Manira said the sentence took into account the accused’s appeal, adding that the offence was serious as it involved contempt against the royal institution.

“You should be more careful after this when uploading content on social media. Contempt against the royal institution should be curbed and the court needs to teach a lesson,” she said adding that she expected the punishment would serve as a lesson not only to the accused but to society in general.

Yusaini was accused of making and initiating communication that was obscene in nature against the King with the intention to annoy others on Facebook under the profile name ‘Al Naml’ at 9pm, March 7, 2020, at a house at Taman Permatang Shahbandar in Maran, Pahang.

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, which carries a maximum fine of RM50,000 or imprisonment for up to one year or both and can be fined a further RM1,000 for every day during which the offence continues after conviction.

Police arrested the accused on June 17, 2020, following a report lodged by a member of the public that led to the seizure of a smartphone believed to be used by the accused to upload the content.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Ain Fadilah Md Ali requested appropriate punishment as the accused’s action of uploading obscene communication against the royal institution was an irresponsible act and had disturbed harmony among the people.

Pleading for leniency the accused, who was unrepresented, said his income was only RM1,500 per month, which was used to support his ageing mother. – Bernama, April 26, 2021.