Chegubard remanded over ‘Forest City casino’ remarks
PETALING JAYA: Badrul Hisham Shaharin has been remanded for two days for investigations into his comments on a casino supposedly to be built in Forest City.
Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation Department director Comm Datuk Seri Mohd Shuhaily Mohd Zain said the Bersatu member, popularly known as Chegubard, was being probed for his social media posting that linked Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim with the development of a casino in Forest City.
He said the post had also turned the Yang di-pertuan Agong into a subject of criticism.
Comm Mohd Shuhaily said Badrul Hisham is being investigated by the department’s classified crime investigation unit under Section 4(1) of the Sedition Act 1948 for alleged incitement that may cause hatred and disloyalty to the King and under Section 233 of the communications and Multimedia Act 1998 for the misuse of network facilities.
He advised the public not to comment or speculate as it may affect investigations into the case.
Comm Mohd Shuhaily also urged the public to utilise social media facilities responsibly and warned that police will take stern action on those who attempt to undermine public order.
Meanwhile, Badrul Hisham’s lawyer Muhammad Rafique Rashid Ali said his client will be held until Monday with the possibility that the police may seek a further extension of the remand order.
Muhammad Rafique said he learnt from the police that investigations were initiated following a police report lodged by a 45-yearold unknown individual who read Badrul Hisham’s comments on Facebook.
“We wish to ask the authorities on what action they will be taking on news agencies Bloomberg, The Business Times and Singapore’s Straits Times as they had published news reports similar to what Badrul Hisham had uploaded on his Facebook account.
“The police, Home Ministry and the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission must investigate to ascertain if there is truth in the reports as several individuals including the Yang di-pertuan Agong were named,” said Muhammad Rafique.
He also questioned his client’s arrest as Badrul Hisham had always been cooperative.
“If this is not intimidation, then what do we call it?
“Is this a sign that is being sent by the government to the rakyat when they voice out or criticise the government?” Muhammad Rafique told reporters when met outside the Dang Wangi police headquarters.
Badrul Hisham’s comments on Facebook claimed there was a plan to open a casino in Forest City to revive the Us$100bil (Rm477bil) township in Johor.
Anwar and officials of Berjaya Group and Genting Group have since denied a Bloomberg report alleging that the Prime Minister had met Berjaya founder Tan Sri Vincent Tan and Genting Group chief executive Tan Sri Lim Kok Thay to discuss the issuance of a casino licence for Forest City.