KUALA LUMPUR, April 12 — The Malaysian Communication and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) is investigating a Facebook page after its images alleged insulting against the King spread over social media.
The national internet regulator said the image was posted last night but did not disclose the Facebook account or elaborate further on the form and manner of the disparagement.
“A very irresponsible party uploaded an image that insulted the Yang di-Pertuan Agong last night.
“Investigations are being taken under Section 233(1) of the Communication and Multimedia Act 1998 for improper use of network facilities or network services to spread news with the intention to bother others,” MCMC said in a statement today.
Those convicted of the offence can be punished with jail up to a year, fined a maximum RM50,000, or both.
The commission added that the police are also investigating the matter.
Several local social media users have been sharing a post on Facebook and Twitter said to have originated from a Facebook page called Sabah-Sarawak Merdeka since yesterday showing the head of Sultan Abdullah Riayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah of Pahang superimposed on the body of a character in a neon mankini from the 2006 movie Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan, starring British actor Sacha Baron Cohen.
The picture was accompanied by a contemptuous and vulgar caption in Malay that mentioned “sultans” and the “peninsula” which it claimed to be getting paid for doing nothing and ended with “such bad luck”.
A rising number of social media postings with provocative content against the royal institution have been reported in recent months with prosecution action taken by the government.
Four days ago, the Sessions Court in Cyberjaya convicted gardener Sharil Mohd Sarif, 36, after he pleaded guilty to insulting the Agong on Facebook under the moniker Shahril Chain”. His sentencing is scheduled for April 26.
