KUALA LUMPUR, May 27 — The police have confirmed they are investigating the online harassment of two DAP assemblymen, after they allegedly received death threats on Facebook.
Petaling Jaya police chief Asst Comm Nik Ezanee Mohd Faisal said a report was lodged by Bandar Utama assemblyman Jamaliah Jamaluddin on Friday (May 22).
“The case is being looked into under Section 507 of the Penal Code and Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998. No report has been made by YB Lim yet,” he said in a statement, referring to Kampung Tunku assemblyman Lim Yi Wei.
Section 507 of the Code refers to the offence of anonymous criminal intimidation which is punishable by two years’ imprisonment, while Section 233 of the Act refers to the sharing of offensive and menacing content, which is punishable with a fine of no more than RM50,000, one year imprisonment, or both.
Both Jamilah and Lim have been the target of recent online harassment, after a Facebook user with the moniker, “Najid Nabi”, posted racial remarks as well as made rape and murder threats.
It is understood the user created the Facebook account on May 19 and began harassing the two assemblymen the following day.
Since then, several MPs have condemned the attacks against Jamilah and Lim, including Bagan MP Lim Guan Eng, Port Dickson MP Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, and Bukit Mertajam MP Steven Sim.
Umno supreme council member Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said likewise expressed anger on Twitter, likening the actions to cowards throwing stones and hiding their hands.
