KUALA LUMPUR: The Sessions court today acquitted and discharged Sungai Buloh MP R. Sivarasa from two charges of uploading a fake Time magazine cover of Datuk Seri Najib Razak on his Facebook page two years ago.
Judge Zaman Mohd Noor meted out the ruling after the Malaysian Communication and Multimedia Commission's (MCMC) deputy public prosecutor Mohd Sophian Zakaria told the court that it had withdrawn the charges against Sivarasa.
Mohd Sophian said Sivarasa, who is also a lawyer, had sent a letter of representation to the Attorney-General’s Chambers on June 20 to have the charges dropped.
Sivarasa, 62, allegedly used his Facebook account ‘Sivasara Rasiah’ to upload a fake photograph of Najib with the intention to offend another person, at 7.41am on March 22 and at 4.59am on March 23, 2016.
The false Time cover with Najib's picture was accompanied by a caption that read, “Made headlines once again, for the wrong reasons” on his Facebook page.
The offence was allegedly committed at No A-1110, 11th Floor, Menara A, Pandan Kapital, Jalan Pandan Utama, Pandan Indah, in Kuala Lumpur at 9.20am and 9.30am, on March 23.
He was charged under Section 233(1)(a) of the Multimedia and Communications Act 1998 for allegedly initiating a transmission of false communication with the intent to annoy another person.
Sivarasa, who was represented by lawyer M. Puravalen when met by reporters thanked the prosecution for withdrawing the charges.
He said the government would review among others Section 233 of the Act.