3R task force nabs another suspect for 'insulting Islam'

The police’s 3R (race, religion, royalty) task force has arrested a 40-year-old man for allegedly insulting Islam in a video that has gone viral.

The suspect, detained in Wangsa Maju, Kuala Lumpur yesterday, had purportedly mocked the Islamic salam greeting. Two mobile phones and three SIM cards were also seized.

The suspect has been remanded for four days to facilitate investigations under Section 298A of the Penal Code and Section 233 of the Communication and Multimedia Act.

Section 298A relates to offences that cause “disharmony, disunity, or feelings of enmity, hatred, or ill-will, or prejudicing the maintenance of harmony or unity, on grounds of religion.”

Meanwhile, Section 233 criminalises online content that is obscene, indecent, false, menacing, or offensive in character with the intent to annoy, abuse, threaten, or harass another person. 

Since the formation of the 3R task force in March this year, 12 people have been arrested and 18 investigation papers have been opened.

“The police advises the public not to misuse social media by making statements that can cause anger and hatred, spark disharmony… or touch on the sensitivity of the system of rulers 

“Stern action will be taken according to the law to safeguard order and public interest,” read a statement from the Bukit Aman federal police headquarters this evening.

Earlier today, DAP chairperson Lim Guan Eng urged the authorities to act against PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang for “threatening racial harmony and national security.”

“Failure to counter this dangerous attempt to sabotage, undermine and replace the government that has won a vote of confidence in Parliament would be tantamount to being disrespectful to the king and Parliament,” he said.

Lim also called on Malaysians to file police reports against Hadi over his latest diatribe that non-Malays were the “biggest plunderers” of the nation. - Mkini