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Facebook user who insulted Islam arrested in Johor Bahru
๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡พ Malaysia /Crime & Justice

Facebook user who insulted Islam arrested in Johor Bahru

From Utusan Malaysia · () Malay

Translated from Malay, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Official statement Outcome reported
  • Police in Johor Bahru, Malaysia, arrested a 37-year-old man for allegedly insulting Islam on Facebook.
  • The suspect, identified by the Facebook account name 'Parthiban Ragu,' posted offensive content about Allah and the Prophet Muhammad.
  • He was detained in Iskandar Puteri and faces charges under sedition and communications acts.

Johor Bahru police have arrested a local man for allegedly posting content that insulted Islam on Facebook. The 37-year-old suspect, operating under the Facebook account name 'Parthiban Ragu,' was apprehended early this morning in Iskandar Puteri. Police received a report regarding the offensive posts, which included vulgar and hateful remarks directed at Allah and the Prophet Muhammad, shared via screenshots by another user named Fadzil Zahari. According to Johor Police Chief Datuk Ab. Rahaman Arsad, the suspect has no prior criminal record. He has been remanded for four days and police seized two mobile phones. The case is being investigated under Malaysia's Sedition Act 1948, the Communications and Multimedia Act 1988, and the Penal Code.

The arrest followed a complaint filed shortly after midnight concerning the viral Facebook posts. The investigation confirmed that the suspect's account shared screenshots of the offensive content. Authorities are pursuing charges that could lead to significant penalties, reflecting the sensitivity of religious insults in Malaysia. The swift action by the police highlights the government's stance on maintaining religious harmony and preventing the spread of hate speech online.

Semalam, Polis Johor telahceive satu laporan pada pukul 12.38 pagi daripada seorang lelaki tempatan berhubung hantaran tular di Facebook dimuat naik pemilik akaun bernama Fadzil Zahari.

โ€” Datuk Ab. Rahaman ArsadDescribing the initial report received by Johor Police regarding the viral Facebook posts.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Utusan Malaysia in Malay. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.