Malaysian citizen sentenced to jail for insulting Islam

KUALA LUMPUR

Another Malaysian national was sentenced to seven months in jail and a 10,000-ringgit ($2,445-) fine for insulting Islam and Prophet Muhammad on social media, local media reported on Monday.

Arrested last week and pleading guilty to 11 counts, Mohamad Yazid Kong Abdullah, 52, whose bail request has been denied, is the latest of the growing number of Malaysian citizens challenging the penal code of the Communications and Multimedia Act signed onto law in 1998.

“This situation will incite anger and, if not addressed well, can threaten the security of the country," Muhammad Asyraf, the prosecutor of the case, told reporters.

Malaysian police has reported that they have received 929 such cases nationwide since the law came into effect.

Malaysian authorities are concerned that hate speeches could lead to hate crimes, eventually triggering racial tension between Muslims and non-Muslims in the country.

On March 1, a Malaysian non-governmental organizations protested a cartoon defaming Prophet Muhammad posted on social media by Chinese citizen Wai Foo Sing, 68, who has since been arrested.

Writing by Vakkas Dogantekin