Activist Remanded to Aid Social Media Threat Probe

An activist has been remanded for two days to assist police in their investigation into online threats that occurred in March. The 33-year-old suspect surrendered to police at the Port Dickson District Police Headquarters on Tuesday.

Negeri Sembilan Police Chief Datuk Alzafny Ahmad stated that the remand order was issued under Section 117 of the Criminal Procedure Code by the Seremban Magistrate's Court Assistant Registrar Naeilah Nikrul Tarmizi. The suspect is being investigated under Section 506 of the Penal Code for criminal intimidation and Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 for improper use of network facilities.

According to police, the suspect had allegedly fled the country to Thailand via the Bukit Kayu Hitam border crossing on March 9, after a report was filed by a man claiming to have been threatened via Facebook on March 10. The suspect reportedly stayed in Thailand for over four months before returning to Malaysia through an unapproved route along the Kelantan border.

Earlier, Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail had mentioned that the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) had submitted an application to Interpol on June 8 for a Red Notice against the activist, Tamim Dahri Abdul Razak, who was believed to be abroad. The purpose was to locate and bring him back to Malaysia to assist in the investigation of alleged religious provocation.