Calling Traffic Police 'Monkey' On Facebook Lends A 32-Year-Old Behind Malacca Bars
A car salesman was arrested early on 27 September for allegedly calling traffic policemen "monkey" on Facebook.
By Sadho Ram — 27 Sep 2014, 05:56 PM — Updated about 10 years ago
Harian Metro and other local Malay-language dailies are reporting that a car salesman was arrested by Malacca police at midnight after he described two traffic policemen as "monkey" on Facebook
Malacca Criminal Investigation Department chief Assistant Commissioner Raja Shahrom Raja Abdullah said the police detained the 32-year-old suspect at his house following a police report against him, and confiscated the mobile phone believed to have been used in the offending Facebook post.
themalaymailonline.com
“A remand order on the suspect for three days has been issued to enable the police to investigate this case,” he was quoted saying yesterday by Berita Harian, with the daily also saying that the arrest was carried out by a team of police officers.
According to the screenshot of the post, the 32-year-old was alleged to have posted: "Those 'monkey' is looking for extra income. Beware at Melaka raya near to Standard Chartered bank."
In a screen capture of the offending Facebook post in Sinar Harian’s report, a photograph of two traffic policemen were shown and accompanied by a comment saying, “Those ‘monkey’ is looking for extra income”.
themalaymailonline.com
Police reports were made against the user known as "Kent Tan", by members of the public who claimed that such postings could dent the reputation of the police force, The Malay Daily reported
Raja Shahrom said initial findings revealed that the car salesman was believed to have made the Facebook posting on the same day he was stopped by the officers. Police believe that the car salesman was unhappy at being asked to stop during a police check at Taman Melaka Raya a few days ago.
He is being investigated under Section 500 of the Penal Code
The car salesman is being investigated under Section 500 of the Penal Code, with the punishment for the offence of criminal defamation being “imprisonment for a term which may extend to two years” or a fine or both upon conviction.
themalaymailonline.com
A clear case of police bullying, this, however, is not an isolated one. It's only the latest in which police have gone after individuals over comments made in person or over the Internet.
On September 15, a Twitter user was charged under the Penal Code today for “deliberately humiliating and provoking” Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar by likening him to Nazi military commander Heinrich Himmler.
Last month, a Penang resident was jailed a week for scribbling an expletive on a traffic summons issued to him by a police officer.
themalaymailonline.com