NGO president fined RM2k for seditious article

KAJANG: A local non governmental organisation leader was fined RM2,000 or two months' jail by the Sessions Court here today for publishing a seditious article which was uploaded in a website two years ago.
Ikatan Muslimin Malaysia (Isma) president Abdullah Zaik Abd Rahman was found guilty by judge Noridah Adam who ruled that the defence had failed to cast a reasonable doubt on the prosecution's case.
Seven prosecution witnesses and one defence witness were called during the trial.
Counsel Salim Bashir in mitigation said the offence was Abdullah Zaik's first.
"I pray that the court would take into consideration that the accused is married with nine children and that this offence had not resulted in bloodshed or criminal violence," he submitted.
Deputy public prosecutor Izwan Ariff Ibrahim urged the court to impose an appropriate sentence "as a lesson to the accused and public as it is feared that such seditious statements if allowed to continue could paralyse the society".
Abdullah Zaik was found guilty of an alternative charge of publishing a seditious article with the heading, Kedatangan pendatang Cina bersama penjajah British satu bentuk pencerobohan (The arrival of Chinese immigrants together with the British colonists is one form of intrusion).
He committed the offence through www.ismaweb.net at No-25-1-1, Jalan Medan Pusat Bandar 1A, Bandar Baru Bangi near here, between 3pm and 3.30pm on May 6, 2014.
The charge under Section 4(1)(c) of the Sedition Act 1948, carries a maximum fine of RM5,000 or five years imprisonment, or both.
On May 16, the same court acquitted and discharge Abdullah Zaik of the main charge of issuing a seditious statement pertaining to the arrival of the Chinese community and British in Malaya after the prosecution failed to prove a prima facie case against him. — Bernama