Jobless man gets 7 months’ jail, fine for insulting Islam, Prophet
KUALA LUMPUR: The Sessions Court yesterday sentenced an unemployed man to seven months’ jail and fined him RM10,000, in default two months’ jail, for insulting Islam and Prophet Muhammad in a Facebook post last month.
Judge Hasbullah Adam meted out the sentence to Mohamad Yazid Kong Abdullah, 52, after the latter maintained his guilty plea, which was recorded last Friday.
Hasbullah said the accused had insulted Islam.
“This is serious. The Federal Constitution states that Islam is the federal religion. Your action had challenged the Federal Constitution, which is the highest law in our country. You are lucky to be charged under Section 233(1)(a) of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998, which provides only a maximum jail term of one year.”
The accused appeared calm and nodded slowly.
Present were Yazid’s wife and their 2-year-old son.
Earlier before the proceedings, Yazid’s wife, who was crying, could be heard saying: “You (Yazid) think about your son. How to eat every day?”
Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission deputy public prosecutor Muhamad Asyraf Md Kamal requested that the court impose a heavier punishment on the accused, whose Facebook post had angered Muslims across the country.
“No one in this multiracial country can accept any form of insult to religion.
“If it is allowed, it can jeopardise harmony in the country and threaten national security.”
In mitigation, counsel Muhammad Syafiq Salleh, who represented Yazid, said his client had apologised to the court and the Muslim community for his action and appealed that he receive the most minimal jail term as he was a first-time offender.
“My client converted to Islam when he wanted to marry his first wife but they then divorced.
“After converting to Islam, he had no support or guidance in Islamic teachings.
“He has five children, four with the first wife, a Malay woman, and one with his new wife, an Indonesian.”
Last Friday, Yazid pleaded guilty to sending an offensive communication via his Facebook account, Yazid Kong, at 8.21pm on Feb 24.
The message was read by another Facebook user, Mohamad Syafiq, at Masjid Salahuddin AlAyyubi in Wangsa Maju here on March 1.
The accused was charged under Sections 233(1)(a) and 233(3) of the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission Act 1998 and is liable to a fine not exceeding RM50,000 or imprisonment not exceeding one year, or both, and a subsequent fine of RM1,000 for each day the offence is committed after conviction.