.jpg "Activist Fahmi Reza arrives at the Putrajaya district police headquarters March 10, 2021. — Picture by Shafwan Zaidon")
Graphic designer Fahmi Reza claimed trial to improper use of his Twitter account to post an allegedly obscene post against a minister last year.
The street artist made the plea when the charge was read out before the Kuala Lumpur Sessions (Cyber) Court this morning.
According to a copy of the charge sheet, Fahmi (above) was alleged to have uploaded the posting via his Twitter account around 3.02pm on Feb 10, 2021.
Framed under Section 233(3) of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998, the charge is for the offence of improper use of network facilities to make an obscene posting with the intent to annoy another person.
If found guilty, Fahmi may be fined not exceeding RM50,000, jailed up to a year, or penalised with both penalties, per Section 233 (3) of the Act.
However, it is not clear from the charge sheet which minister was allegedly targeted by the purported posting.
It is understood that the alleged posting was in relation to last year’s issue of the Health Ministry’s relaxation of quarantine rules for Malaysian ministers coming back from overseas travels.
During open-court proceedings this morning, deputy public prosecutor Najihah Farhana Che Awang applied for bail be fixed at RM10,000 with one surety. However, the DPP did not provide reasons for the proposed bail amount.
Defence counsel Rajsurian Pillai then pleaded for the court to instead grant lower bail between RM4,000 to RM5,000, citing the 44-year-old Fahmi having given full cooperation to the authorities.
“Every time he was asked to come to court or to be investigated (by the authorities, he always attended,” the lawyer said as his client looked on during proceedings.
Rajsurian added that the purpose of bail is merely to ensure the attendance of court proceedings and not to punish Fahmi, who earns RM3,000 a month from working as a freelance graphic artist and still caring for his two elderly parents.
The lawyer added that Fahmis is not a flight risk, and that the latter would not be disturbing the complainant in the case, who is a civil servant.
Bail RM5,000
Judge Sabariah Atan granted bail of RM5,000 with one surety and fixed March 30 for mention of the case.
It was previously reported that the activist would be charged today over an online posting.
On Jan 26, Bernama reported that Fahmi was called to Bukit Aman to assist in investigations in connection with another social media post.
The outspoken activist on socio-political issues has had numerous run-ins with authorities in the past, among them being over a clown caricature of former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak. - Mkini
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