Delivery rider under police investigation for religious slur

Police are investigating a Grab delivery rider who allegedly hurled a religious slur at a customer through the application’s chat feature.

Seberang Perai Tengah district police chief Helmi Aris told Malaysiakini that an investigation paper has been opened into the matter.

“The case is being investigated under Section 298 of the Penal Code and Section 233 of the Communication and Multimedia Act,” he added.

Section 298 pertains to actions that wound the religious feelings of any person, which carries a penalty of imprisonment for up to one year, a fine, or both.

Section 233 addresses the improper use of network facilities to transmit content that is indecent, obscene, false, menacing, or offensive in nature, with the intent to annoy, abuse, threaten, or harass any person. If found guilty, the offender may be fined up to RM50,000, imprisoned for up to one year, or both.

Malaysiakini reported yesterday that a 27-year-old teacher from Penang had lodged the report after the delivery rider sent her a message which read, “Oi sampai. Tak mau ambik makanan jangan order pu**mak Hindu (Oi, arrived. If you don’t want to take the food, don’t order pu**mak Hindu).”

“As a member of the Hindu community, I felt personally attacked and disrespected. This incident is not just about me; it reflects a broader issue of ignorance and intolerance that must be addressed,” said M Amutha.

Taking action

Following this, National Unity Minister Aaron Ago Dagang called on authorities to take action against the rider.

In a social media post responding to Amutha’s complaint, Grab assured that the driver’s account has been restricted and is under investigation.

“Rest assured that we do not tolerate any form of abusive language or discrimination, and appropriate action will be taken,” it stated.

Amutha had also claimed that when she contacted the company’s customer service hotline, she was informed that the delivery rider might be a “scammer” as the company could not locate the individual’s details within their system. - Mkini