KUALA LUMPUR (March 22): A 35-year-old man was sentenced to six-month imprisonment and fined RM12,000 over his anti-Islam comments on social media with regard to the 'Allah' socks controversy.
Sessions Court judge Suzana Hussin meted down the sentence after Chiok Wai Loong pleaded guilty to the single charge under Section 233(1)(a) of the Communications and Multimedia Act for initiating the transmission of offensive communications, with the intent to offend others through social media posts.
"The court has taken into account your appeal and the deputy public prosecutor's (DPP) submissions. I hope the sentence handed down serves as a lesson to you and the public on the seriousness of the issue," the judge said.
Chiok also faces an additional three months in prison, should he fail to pay the fine.
The offence is punishable under Subsection 233(3) of the same Act, which carries the punishment of a fine not exceeding RM50,000 or a maximum of one year in prison or both. The accused is also liable to a further fine of RM1,000 for every day during which the offence is continued after conviction.
Chiok had no legal representation on Friday. When asked if he wished to get a lawyer before mitigation, he answered in the negative.
DPP Datin Kalmizah Salleh argued that the post was insensitive to Muslims in the country, and that 24 police reports had been lodged over the Facebook post.
She also said social media should not be a platform to be utilised to post content that hurt others' feelings. She urged the court to mete out a sentence that would serve as deterrence.
Chiok said that he was declared bankrupt during the movement control order period. He added that he cared for his 63 year-old mother, and could not lose his employment at this point in time.
He also said that he frequently commented on the news through social media as a 'keyboard warrior', and he was not aware that the comments were offensive.
"In my religion, you can write God's name on the palm and feet. So, I felt it wasn't such a big issue. I only knew that [the post] was offensive when the police conducted their investigation," he said during mitigation.
The controversy surrounds images of socks bearing the words 'Allah' sold at KK Mart, which went viral last week. KK Mart in turn issued an apology, and confirmed that sales of the socks had been stopped.
This included terminating its contract with the supplier, Xin Jian Chang Sdn Bhd. The supplier claimed that manufacturers in China wrongly sent the socks, which were subsequently overlooked.
On Thursday, it was reported that a Sabahan was sentenced to six months in jail and fined RM15,000 for anti-Islam comments on the same issue.