PMSP president charged with uploading offensive post on Twitter
TAIPING: Pertubuhan Minda dan Sosial Prihatin (PMSP) Malaysia president Ramesh Rao was charged in the Sessions Court here yesterday with uploading an offensive posting on Twitter.
Ramesh, 50, however, pleaded not guilty after the charge was read out to him before Judge Zulhelmy Hasan.
He is accused of committing the offence on the Twitter handle 'RameshRaoAKS **** 'at the link http://twitter.com/ RameshRaoAKS/status/1287974 441347997697 with the intention to hurt the feelings of others.
He is alleged to have committed the offence on July 28 at 12.58 pm and was noticed at No 10, Lorong 2 Taman Desa Trong Utama here at 8 pm the same day.
He was charged under Section 233(1)(a) of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 and punishable under Section 233(3) of the same act.
If convicted, he can be fined not more than RM50,000 or jailed not more than a year or both, and can be fined an additional RM1,000 for each day the posting continued to be carried on Twitter after conviction.
Deputy public prosecutor Sariza Ismail appeared for the prosecution while Ramesh was represented by counsel Shamsher Singh Thind.
Earlier, Sariza had asked the court to set bail at RM10,000 while Shamsher Singh urged that it be reduced to RM5,000 citing that it was a summons case and that there was no risk of his client, who is from Petaling Jaya, Selangor, absconding.
Shamser Singh added that his client showed respect for the court by being present yesterday even though the peninsula states are under the Movement Control Order to contain the Covid-19 pandemic.
The court set bail at RM6,000 in one surety and fixed March 16 fo re-emntion and document submission. – Bernama