Activist Arun Dorasamy was summoned to give a statement to the police yesterday over a TikTok video he posted questioning Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s act of presiding over a religious conversion ceremony at a mosque.
Arun (above) was called to the police headquarters at Bukit Aman at 10am yesterday and the questioning lasted around half an hour to an hour, said his lawyer Rajesh Nagarajan when contacted by Malaysiakini.
“(Arun) posted a TikTok video where he questioned how is it right for the prime minister of an entire country of people with different religions to personally go and convert someone.
“At no point did he question the right of the boy to convert. The issue is how can the prime minister do it,” Rajesh said.
The lawyer said Arun is being investigated under Section 504 of the Penal Code, Section 14 of the Minor Offences Act and Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act (CMA).
Section 504 of the Penal Code deals with “whoever intentionally insults, and thereby gives provocation to any person, intending or knowing it to be likely that such provocation will cause him to break the public peace, or to commit any other offence”.
It carries a punishment of imprisonment up to two years or with a fine or both.
Section 14 of the Minor Offences Act handles “insulting behaviour” and those convicted shall be liable to a fine not exceeding RM100.
Meanwhile, Section 233 of the CMA criminalises the “improper use” of network facilities with the intent of annoying, abusing or threatening another person.
The law currently allows for a fine of up to RM50,000, a jail term of up to one year, or both.
PM draws brickbats
Other quarters have also criticised Anwar over his presiding over the religious conversion ceremony.
This includes the Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall, which said the prime minister’s open participation in the ceremony displayed a “lack of religious sensitivity”.
The group noted that while Article 11 of the Federal Constitution guaranteed freedom of religion, Anwar as prime minister should not publicly preside over religious conversion ceremonies for individuals of other ethnicities.
Anwar had also courted criticism from former Penang deputy chief minister II P Ramasamy and Global Human Rights Foundation president S Shashi Kumar over the incident.
Klang Muslim Welfare Organisation Malaysia leader Hushim Salleh has since said Anwar presided over the ceremony upon his request. - Mkini
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