KUALA LUMPUR: A Danish citizen became the first person to be charged and convicted under the Anti-Fake News Act 2018.
Salah Salem Saleh Sulaiman, 46, was sentenced to a weeks’ jail and fined RM10,000 over his allegations that the police were late in responding to the killing of a Palestinian university lecturer in Setapak, two weeks ago.
Salah, a horse groomer by trade, was sentenced by Sessions Court judge Zaman Mohd Noor after pleading guilty to the charge that was read out to him in English.
The accused, who is of Yemeni descent, was charged with publishing fake news with malicious intentions in a video posted on a YouTube account under the name ‘Salah Sulaiman’.
He committed the offence at Puteri Idaman Condominium, in Jalan Meranti, Setapak, here, between 6.50am and 9am on April 21.
The 1 minute and 49-second video titled ‘Pembunuhan Sheikh Al Gazawi Fadi al Batsh di Kuala Lumpur, cukuplah Allah bagi kami sebaik-baik wakil’, showed the man Denmark claiming that he was with the Palestinian victim, Dr Fadi M.R Albatsh during the assassination. He also claimed that the police only arrived after 50 minutes, despite 43 calls being made, with an ambulance arriving only an hour later.
His charge under Subsection 4(1) of the Act, carries a maximum RM500,000 fine or a maximum jail sentence of six years, if convicted.
In mitigation, Salah, who has three wives, repeatedly apologised for his mistake.
“I made a mistake. I did not know what the law is here.. I apologise to everyone in Malaysia.
“I do not know anyone in Malaysia, I just came to visit.. I did not mean to hurt anyone. It was a moment of anger, that is my mistake,” said the father of six, who was unrepresented.
The court ordered for the accused’s jail term to run from the date of his arrest on April 23 and for him to serve a months’ jail if he fails to pay the fine.
The court also ordered for the accused to remove the video posted on his YouTube account.
Deputy public prosecutor Noor Jazilah Mohd Yushaa urged the court to impose a deterrent sentence on the accused to remind others against spreading fake news and to be more careful before sharing news.
“The accused’s action did not only injure the image of the Police and our country but also hurt the feelings of the victim’s family members,” she said.
Fadi, 35, was gunned down by two suspects on a motorcycle in front of the Idaman Puteri Condominium in Setapak as he was walking to Surau Medan Idaman to lead the subuh prayer about 6am on April 21.