Three months’ jail for man pleading guilty to offensive X posts against Terengganu royalty

A man from Terengganu has been sentenced to three months in jail for making offensive posts against the royal family on the social media platform X, according to prosecutors. The court heard that Azman Hakim Hassanuddin, 35, posted five messages between February 19 and February 26, targeting the royalty, religion, and racial sensitivities.

Judge Ahmad Fuad Othman emphasized the seriousness of offending the royal institution, religion, and racial harmony, stating that such actions can have a significant impact on society and erode public respect for the monarchy and government principles. The judge noted that the offences, known as 3R-related offenses, can lead to social unrest, with attacks on religion or the royal family potentially provoking violence and undermining the dignity of the monarchy.

Azman, a mental health patient, was deemed fit to stand trial and capable of defending himself, though he requested a fine instead of imprisonment, citing ongoing mental health treatment needs. Sentencing was based on the fact that he posted the messages while in a severely diminished state, having slept only 2-3 hours daily. The maximum penalty for such offenses under Section 233(1)(a) of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 is a fine of up to RM500,000, up to two years' imprisonment, or both, along with a daily fine of RM5,000 for any continuation of the offense after conviction.