Two men charged over offensive social media posts against Negri Sembilan ruler

In Kuala Lumpur, two men appeared in court on August 28, 2023, pleading not guilty to charges of posting offensive content against Negri Sembilan's ruler, Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir, on social media platforms. The accused, Abdullah Aidid Mochtar, 44, and Ashadi Zul Izzi Zainal Abidin, 46, each faced accusations of creating and initiating extremely offensive posts with the intent to harm the feelings of another person through their respective TikTok and Threads accounts.

The posts were made on August 1 and August 4, respectively, and subsequently viewed by a complainant in Taman Segambut. Both men were charged under Section 233(1)(a) of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998, which carries a maximum penalty of RM500,000 in fines or up to two years imprisonment. Upon conviction, an additional RM5,000 fine may be imposed for every day the offense continues after conviction.

The proposed bail for each accused was set at RM15,000 with one surety. However, both men sought lower bail amounts, citing their loss of employment and part-time income. The court granted bail of RM12,000 with one surety for each accused. The case was scheduled for mention on December 1, 2023, for document submission.