Man gets 12 months' jail, RM250,000 fine for Quran desecration in Pahang

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 14 — A 21-year-old man from Pahang has been sentenced to 12 months in prison and fined RM250,000 for desecrating the Quran and posting offensive content on social media in February. The Kuantan Sessions Court imposed the sentence on Vikneswaran after he pleaded guilty to both charges. Judge Harmi Thamri Mohamad ordered the prison sentence to begin on November 12, with an additional 12 months added if he fails to pay the fine.

The court aimed to both punish the accused and warn others against committing similar offenses. Vikneswaran's lawyer sought a stay of execution pending an appeal, citing his client's upcoming psychiatric treatment, but the prosecution denied the request. The accused was charged under Section 295 of the Penal Code for Quran desecration and Section 233(1)(a) of the Communications and Multimedia Act for posting offensive content on social media.

The incident was discovered when the accused's father received a viral video on February 24, leading to his arrest on February 25. Social media analysis confirmed the account belonged to Vikneswaran and his family.