Factory worker pleads guilty to insulting King, Queen on Instagram

A factory worker pleaded guilty in the Sessions Court here today to two counts of insulting the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah and the Raja Permaisuri Agong Tunku Hajah Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah on social media.

Shahril Mohd Sarif, 37, made the plea after the charges were read out to him by a court interpreter before Judge M M Edwin Paramjothy.

However, the court set March 12 for sentencing.

He was accused of using an Instagram account under the name of “s.sharilbinmohd” to initiate and make the transmission of offensive communications with intent to annoy others, between 10am and 1pm on March 1.

The remarks were later read by the cybercrime and multimedia investigation division of the Bukit Aman Commercial Crime Investigation Department on 27th floor, Menara KPJ, at 4.06 pm the same day.

The accused was charged under section 233(1)(a) of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 and could be sentenced under section 233(3) of the same act which carries a maximum fine of RM50,000, or jail up to one year, or both upon conviction.

Earlier, deputy public prosecutor Muhamad Asyraf Md Kamal did not propose bail on the grounds that the accused had previously been convicted with the same offence last year.

“The postings were made at the Istana Negara’s official Instagram page during a live video of the swearing-in ceremony of the 8th Prime Minister recently which had sparked anger among the public,” he said.

The court allowed the accused bail of RM16,000 in one surety for the charges.