KUALA LUMPUR: A former sales manager of a private company was charged at the Sessions Court here today with sending insulting comments against the Yang di-Pertuan Agong XV, Sultan Muhammad V on his Facebook site last month.
Eric Liew Chee Ling, 46, pleaded not guilty after the charge was read before Judge M. M. Edwin Paramjothy.
The man was accused of using the Facebook site of “Eric Liew” to send insulting comments on the 15h Yang di-Pertuan Agong with the intention to hurt others at between 7.01 pm and 9.23 pm on Jan 6.
Liew’s comments were read at 8pm on Jan 6 at the office of Classified Criminal Investigation Unit (D5), Criminal Investigation Department, second floor, Menara 2, Bukit Aman police headquarters here.
The accused was charged under Section 233 (1) (a) of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 and could be sentenced under Section 233(3) of the same act which carries a maximum fine of RM50,000 or jail up to one year or both if found guilty.
The deputy public prosecutor of the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), Muhamad Asyraf Md Kamal proposed bail at RM20,000 in one surety considering the seriousness of Liew’s case when the comments made touched the personal life of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.
Counsel New Sin Yew who is representing Liew sought the court to reduce the amount and provide bail at a more reasonable sum.
The court allowed Liew to go on bail at RM8,000 in one surety and set March 26 for case mention.
Earlier the media reported a Facebook user uploaded insulting comments against Sultan Muhammad V which sparked anger among netizens before several parties came forward to lodge police reports and demanded actions by the authorities. — Bernama
