Teacher charged with spreading false claim on WhatsApp

KOTA KINABALU: A teacher has pleaded not guilty to a charge of disseminating a false allegation via a WhatsApp group, in the first case of its kind in the country.

Rafeah Buang, 36, who is with the Community Development Department’s information technology department, allegedly committed the offence under the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 at about 11.45am on Dec 11, 2014.

According to the case facts, Rafeah allegedly sent a message warning members of her WhatsApp group “Karpet Kemas 189 Semporna” to be wary of a black vehicle that was purportedly owned by a rapist from Kampung Simunul in Semporna.

The car plate number was also included in the message.

This is believed to be the very first case heard in the country involving the dissemination of fake information via WhatsApp.

Rafeah could be fined up to RM50,000 or jailed up to a year, or both.

She could also be subjected to a RM1,000 fine for each day the false information was in circulation.

Mohd Sophian Zakaria from the Malaysia Communication Commission, who prosecuted, recommended that the accused be allowed a RM2,000 bail with one surety.

Tawau Sessions Court judge Awang Krisnada Awang Mahmud allowed bail at RM2,500 with one surety and fixed Jan 21, 2018, for the case to be tried in Semporna.

Rafeah posted the bail.