'Pork' Ramadan duo may face Sedition Act - ministry: They deserve 'full punishment' - Lim

It looks like Malaysia'a sex bloggers Alvin Tan and Vivian Lee have gone a step too far.

Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng is the latest to call for "full punishment" to be meted out to the young couple, who face serious charges and may end up in jail after sending 'Sumptious Erotica' and 'pork-tainted' Ramadan greetings to Muslims over Facebook.

"That is wrong. They deserve to be punished. There is no doubt about it. It is completely un-Malaysian. They are a complete disgrace," Guan Eng, who is also the DAP secretary-general, told Malaysia Chronicle at the Parliament House on Monday.

Stay within the box: Bad morality is the cause

His views were echoed by Senator Loga Bala, the deputy FT Minister, who blamed the act on the decline in "morality" in Malaysia.

"I think that's still far from where we are. I think we should (spend) time to rectify the moral values rather than to deal with anything (else)," Loga, who's from the BN's PPP party, told Malaysia Chronicle.

He was responding to the question of whether the duo should be cut some slack for their radical acts that some thinkers say may be needed to break down unnecessary taboos.

Can be charged for Sedition

Meanwhile, Deputy Minister of Communication and Multimedia Jailani Johari confirmed that the Malaysia Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) will be investigating the notorious duo, who first shocked the country and neighboring Singapore with their explicit sex video last year.

He warned the Attorney General's Chambers would not hesitate to charge the couple if found guilty.

"As I said, they can be charged under 3 Acts - the Sedition Act, Section 223 of the Communications & Multimedia Act, or Section 298 of the Penal Code. It is up to the AG to decide," Jailani told reporters at the Parliament lobby.

Jailani's words are bound to send a chill down the spine of the young bloggers and their families. Malaysia's infamous Sedition Act has in the past been used to remand suspects for long periods of time and depending on which section of the law is applied, Alvin and Vivian could be looking at a long spell in jail.

Apology

Both have already withdrawn their controversial posting on Facebook and issued an apology.

"We are asking forgiveness from all Malaysiansfor this incident during the fasting month which is holy to the Muslims. We did it as a joke. We had no intention to trivialize or to insult Islam or to incite racial conflict for that matter. We truly regret and apologize to all parties affected," Alvin and Vivian said in a joint video put up after coming under heavy public fire for their insensitive greeting.

Malaysia Chronicle