Malaysian woman jailed 10 months for insulting monarchy on social media

A graphic designer in Johor Bahru has been sentenced to 10 months in prison after admitting to making false and grossly offensive social media posts that insulted the Malaysian monarchy. Nurul Huda Mohd. Bajuri, 49, changed her plea to guilty at the Sessions Court.

The court ordered the sentences for the two charges to run concurrently from her arrest date on March 31. The first charge involved a TikTok post where she claimed to be a teacher to the 17th Supreme Head of Malaysia, Sultan Ibrahim Ismail Ibni Sultan Mahmud Iskandar, and other sultans. This post was made with the intent to cause annoyance.

The second charge concerned an Instagram post containing offensive remarks against the sultans of Malaysia and Brunei, and touching upon the issue of Darussalam. Both offenses were committed under Section 233(1)(a) of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998, carrying a potential penalty of up to RM500,000 in fines or a maximum of two years imprisonment, or both.

Nurul Huda's lawyer from the National Legal Aid Foundation requested a minimum bail, highlighting her status as a single mother with one dependent and her remorse. However, the deputy public prosecutor argued for a fitting sentence, emphasizing that the accused's actions insulted the royal institution and could incite provocation. The court ultimately imposed the 10-month prison sentence.