Hina kerabat diraja Terengganu, lelaki dipenjara 3 bulan

Azman Hakim Hassanuddin, a 35-year-old man from Terengganu, has been sentenced to three months in prison by the Sepang Sessions Court today. He pleaded guilty to five charges, including sending and initiating harmful communication via the X application and threatening Terengganu royalty. The judge, Hakim Ahmad Fuad Othman, emphasized that offenses touching on the royal institution, religion, and community sensitivity should be taken seriously due to their potential to cause widespread harm in society.

The court stressed the importance of upholding the principles of honesty, integrity, and loyalty to the King and the nation, as outlined in the Rukun Negara. Fuad stated that showing disrespect to the royal family lowers public esteem and that offenses related to religion, community, and the royal institution can ignite anger among affected parties and diminish their dignity.

Previously, prosecutors informed the court based on a report from Hospital Bahagia Ulu Kinta on August 10, stating that the mentally ill defendant was deemed fit to stand trial and defend himself. On June 24, Assistant Prosecutor Fadhli Ab Wahab requested the court to transfer the defendant to a psychiatric hospital for observation and assessment to determine his eligibility for trial.

In his appeal, the defendant sought a fine rather than imprisonment, citing the need for ongoing treatment, including daily medication. When the communication was made in February, the defendant's mental health was severe, causing him to sleep only two to three hours daily. Regarding the offense, Azman was accused of sending and initiating harmful communication, as well as threatening others via his X account (@gmxn_) on February 19.

He was charged with making harmful communication in the afternoon of February 2, 4:19, 4:20, and 4:29, with the intent to cause pain to others. For a second offense, he was accused of making threatening communication in the afternoon of February 3, with the intention of eliciting a response. The charges were brought under Section 233(1)(a) of the Communication and Multimedia Act 1998, which is punishable by a fine not exceeding RM500,000 or imprisonment for up to two years, or both, along with an additional fine of RM5,000 for each day of continuing offense after conviction.