A 56-year-old Singaporean security guard has been jailed for 14 days in Malaysia and fined RM7,000 after pleading guilty to making remarks deemed offensive to Islam.
Mohamed Anim Atam was sentenced by the Johor Bahru Magistrates’ Court on Aug 21 following an incident in which he allegedly made the remarks while travelling in an e-hailing vehicle in Johor Bahru.
Magistrate A. Shaarmini ordered him to serve the 14-day jail term from the date of his arrest on Tuesday. He was also ordered to serve an additional three months in jail if he fails to pay the RM7,000 fine.
Incident Took Place During E-Hailing Ride
The incident occurred at around 5pm on July 30 while Mohamed Anim was travelling from Jalan Tun Razak to Jalan Meldrum.
According to the court, he intentionally uttered words with the intention of wounding the religious feelings of others. The remarks were allegedly heard by another man in the vehicle.
The complainant subsequently recorded the incident and uploaded the video to several social media platforms. The footage later went viral, prompting the complainant to lodge a police report on July 31.
The case attracted significant attention online because it involved remarks concerning Islam and was treated by prosecutors as a sensitive 3R issue involving race, religion and royalty.
Mohamed Anim was charged under Section 298 of Malaysia’s Penal Code. The provision carries a maximum sentence of one year in jail, a fine, or both upon conviction.
Singaporean Arrested In Johor Bahru
Following the circulation of the video, officers from the Criminal Investigation Division of the Johor Bahru Selatan district police headquarters arrested Mohamed Anim with assistance from the Singapore Police Force.
Police also seized his mobile phone to assist with investigations.
During mitigation, Mohamed Anim, who was not represented by a lawyer, asked the court for a lighter sentence.
He told the court that he had high blood pressure and was also in the middle of divorce proceedings. He said he needed to attend proceedings at the Syariah Court in Singapore as part of the process.
However, the court proceeded with the sentence of 14 days’ imprisonment and the RM7,000 fine.
The jail sentence was backdated to his arrest on Tuesday, meaning his time in custody since then will count towards the 14-day term.
The case serves as a reminder that visitors and Singaporeans travelling across the Causeway can still face Malaysian laws while they are in the country. Remarks concerning religion can carry serious legal consequences, particularly when they are recorded and spread widely online.
Image Source: The Vibes & Bernama