Fahmi Reza charged with posting offensive content on quarantine period for ministers

KUALA LUMPUR: A graphic designer was charged at the Sessions Court here today with posting offensive content about the quarantine period for Cabinet ministers who return from official visits abroad, on his Twitter account last year.

Mohd Fahmi Reza Mohd Zarin, 45, however, pleaded not guilty after the charge against him was read before Judge Datin Sabariah Othman.

Mohd Fahmi was charged with knowingly making and initiating the transmission of obscene communications using a Twitter account of "Fahmi Reza" or "@kuasasiswa" with the intention of offending others at 3.02 pm on Feb 10, 2021.

The content was then read at the Health Ministry's corporate communications head office, Precinct 1, Putrajaya, at 4 pm on Feb 11 the same year.

The charge was framed under Section 233(1)(a) of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1988 (Act 588) which is punishable under section 233 (3) of the same act which carries a maximum fine of RM50,000 or imprisonment for up to one year or both and can be fined a further RM1,000 for every day during which the offence continues after conviction.

Earlier, deputy public prosecutor Najihah Farhana Che Awang offered bail at RM10,000, but lawyer Raj Surian Pillai representing the accused, pleaded for a lower amount on the grounds that his client had had given full cooperation during investigation of the case.

The court then set bail at RM5,000 with one surety and fixed March 30 for mention.

-- BERNAMA