JOHOR BARU: A 56-year-old food stall operator was fined RM3,000 by the sessions court here today after he pleaded guilty to publishing a seditious post on X that insulted His Majesty, the King of Malaysia.
Zaidi Mat Sah was charged under Section 4(1)(c) of the Sedition Act 1948 for posting the seditious content on his X account - Bitz @zatocent, at 5.45am on Dec 29, last year.
Judge Hazeelia Muhammad ordered an additional six months' imprisonment if he failed to pay the fine.
The offence took place at a residence in Taman Sutera. The charge carries a maximum penalty of RM5,000 or imprisonment of up to three years, or both, upon conviction.
According to case facts, the complainant came across the post, which was deemed inflammatory and insulted His Majesty the King of Malaysia, which was a violation of sensitivities related to race, religion, and royalty (3R issues).
A police report was lodged at the Seri Alam police station the next day (Dec 30).
The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission's investigations revealed that the X account was registered to Zaidi.
Johor Prosecution director Abdul Ghafar Abdul Latif prosecuted the case, while Zaidi was unrepresented.
In his plea for leniency, Zaidi cited financial hardship, stating that he is a roadside food vendor supporting his family, including his elderly mother.