A rather disturbing news piece I read today. Someone insulted the Sultan of Perak and are now facing 1 year imprisonment, RM50,000 fine or both.

KUALA LUMPUR: Six people who allegedly insulted the Sultan of Perak via their blogs or by posting of comments are likely to be the first of many people to be charged today under the Communications and Multimedia Act.

The six are expected to be charged in the Kuala Lumpur, Petaling Jaya, Kota Kinabalu, and Butterworth lower courts for unwise use of network or network services for making comments, demands, suggestions or communication which are vulgar, false, threatening or disturbing.

The charges under Section 233(1) of the Act are to be read together with Section 34 of the Penal Code.

So not really sure if the person from KK is a blogger or a commenter to a blog. Just a warning to everyone online, even though you feel you are anonymous behind the keyboard and are free to express your thoughts, well YOU AREN’T!

This is Malaysia! You can’t even *think* of criticising the high-men, let alone type it out! As Malaysians we cannot give out “comments, demands, suggestions or communication which are vulgar, false, threatening or disturbing”.

Think happy thoughts everyone! Happy thoughts!

news link

UPDATE
Taken from The Star

Meanwhile, in Kota Kinabalu, Bernama reported that a mobile phone salesman pleaded not guilty to spreading a comment which insulted the Sultan of Perak through a website.

Rutinin Suhaimin, 36, was charged with committing the offence on Feb 13 and linking the offensive remarks to the website http://books.dreambooks.com/duliduli.html with link to a website on the Sultan Perak, www.sultanperak.gov.my.

If found guilty, Rutinin can be jailed for up to a year or fined up to RM50,000, or both.