AN unemployed man pleaded not guilty in the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court today to a charge of making and initiating offensive communications against Johor ruler Sultan Ibrahim Almarhum Sultan Iskandar on his Facebook page last week.

Muhammad Indera Mulia Ahmad, 35, was charged with committing the offence through his Facebook account using the profile name “Indera Mulia” with the intention of annoying others at 10.29am on April 21.

The post, bearing an image of the Johor sultan, was read at the Bukit Aman Commercial Crime Investigation Department Office, Wangsa Maju, Kuala Lumpur at 6pm on April 24.

The charge, read out to him before judge Priscilla Hemamalini Nadarajan, was framed under section 233 (1)(a) of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 (Act 588). They accused can also be punished according to section 233 (3) of the same act.

Indera faces a maximum fine of RM50,000 or imprisonment for up to a year, or both, and can be fined a further RM1,000 for each day the offence continues after conviction, if found guilty.

The court allowed the accused bail of RM10,000 with one surety and fixed May 26 for mention.

Deputy public prosecutor Ngoh Jess Lynn prosecuted, while the accused was unrepresented. – Bernama, April 28, 2023.