Picture and caption posted by controversial blogger insult Ramadan and Islam, court told
KUALA LUMPUR: The Sessions Court here was yesterday told that the picture and caption posted by controversial blogger Alvin Tan and his girlfriend on their Facebook could be regarded as insulting Ramadan and also Islam — a religion that forbids the consumption of pork.
Deputy public prosecutor Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin said Alvin Tan or Tan Jye Yee; and Vivian Lee or Lee May Ling, had posted the seditious picture and words by uploading their picture with a caption: “Selamat Berbuka Puasa (with Bak Kut Teh... fragrant, delicious and appetising)” which also contained the halal logo on their Facebook.
“The posting of the Facebook implied that they are inviting the Muslims to break their fast with ‘Bak Kut Teh’.
“Although, it did not specifically state the menu for the ‘ Bak Kut Teh’, when read by the Muslims, it is like an insult to Ramadan and Islam which forbids its followers from eating pork,” he said in his submission at the end of the prosecution case before Judge Abdul Rashid Daud.
He said the testimony by a prosecution witness also confirmed that ‘ Bak Kut Teh’ contained pork and was not issued the halal certificate by the Malaysian Islamic Development Department (Jakim).
Lawyer Chong Joo Tian, representing Lee, submitted that testimony by the prosecution witness proved that only Tan posted the picture and caption on the Facebook, and not his client.
He also said the laptop and the Facebook account that were used to download the picture and caption belonged to Tan.
The court set April 14 for decision whether to call Tan, 27, and Lee, 27, to enter their defence. Tan was not at the court. He is believed to have fled to the United States to avoid attending the trial proceedings.
They are charged with uploading their picture with a caption, “Selamat Berbuka Puasa (with Bak Kut Teh...fragrant, delicious and appetising)” which also contained the halal logo in their Facebook.
The are charged under Section 4(1)(c) of the Sedition Act and were alleged to have committed the offence at 9am on July 12, 2013.
They are also facing a charge under Sub- section 5(1) of the Film Censorship Act 2002 for allegedly posting an obscene photograph on the same Facebook page between 9pm on July 6, 2013 and 2am on July 7, 2013. — Bernama