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2024 MarsdenLR 295
MAHKAMAH TINGGI MALAYA IPOH
ARUNAKIRINATHAN THILLAINATHAN LWN. PENDAKWA RAYA & SATU LAGI KES
[Rayuan Jenayah No: AA-42CY-2-06/2022 & AA-42CY-3-06/2022]
The court reaffirmed that freedom of speech is limited by law when it threatens public order, emphasizing the need for appropriate penalties for offenses against ethnic groups and royalty.
Headnote:(A) Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 - Section 233(1)(a) - Penal Code - Section 504 - Accused convicted for posting offensive statements on social media against a specific ethnic group and royalty. The court emphasized the limitations of freedom of speech under Article 10(2)(a) of the Federal Constitution, asserting that public safety and order take precedence. The trial court's lenient sentence was deemed manifestly inadequate given the serious nature of the offense. (Paras 16, 76, 79)
(B) Freedom of Speech - The court reiterated that freedom of speech is not absolute and can be restricted under specific laws to maintain public order and prevent provocation. (Paras 8, 16)
Facts of the case:
The accused posted a video on Facebook that contained derogatory remarks about the Malay community and royalty, leading to public outrage and a police report. (Paras 3, 4)
Findings of Court:
The court found the trial judge's sentence insufficient and emphasized the need for a more severe penalty to reflect the seriousness of the offense and to serve as a deterrent. (Paras 76, 79)
Issues: The main issues included whether the trial court adequately considered the implications of the accused's statements on public order and the appropriateness of the sentence given the offense's severity. (Paras 8, 16)
Ratio Decidendi: The court ruled that the accused's statements were intended to provoke and insult, justifying a stricter sentence to uphold public order and respect for the monarchy. (Paras 16, 76)
Result: The appeal by the prosecution was allowed, and the previous sentences were replaced with harsher penalties. (Paras 79)
PENGHAKIMAN
Pengenalan
[1] Arunakiri Nathan a/l Thilai Nathan yang merupakan Perayu (selepas ini disebut sebagai "OKT") bagi kes Rayuan Jenayah No 42CY-2-06/2022 telah disabitkan dengan kesalahan di bawah s 233(1)(a) Akta Komunikasi dan Multimedia 1998 (selepas ini dikenali sebagai Akta 588) dan pertuduhan di bawah s 504 Kanun Keseksaan (selepas ini dikenali sebagai "KK"). Manakala Pendakwa Raya (selepas ini disebut sebagai pihak pendakwaan) merupakan Responden dalam rayuan ini.
[2] Pihak pendakwaan yang merupakan Perayu bagi kes Rayuan Jenayah No 42CY-3-06/2022 telah merayu ke atas hukuman yang telah dijatuhkan ke atas OKT seperti bagi tuduhan pertama di bawah s 233(1) Akta 586, denda RM10,000.00 jika gagal bayar 6 bulan penjara dan bagi tuduhan kedua dibawah s 504 KK, hukuman penjara 5 hari dan denda RM5,000.00 jika gagal bayar denda 3 bulan penjara.
Fakta Ringkas
[3] Pada 19 Februari 2019, jam lebih kurang 9.00 pagi, Abdul Hadi Ahmad bin Khairol Nizam (SP1) telah melayari Facebook Arunakiri Nathan iaitu OKT dan telah melihat satu video yang menunjukkan OKT membuat kenyataan berbaur penghinaan terhadap orang Melayu dan Sultan berbunyi seperti berikut:
"Zakir Naik can actually con all Malays... Malaysians. Zakir Naik can cheat all the Sultans.You know why? Don't blame Sultan or don't blame the Malays. Malay Muslim because there is a rule of law where they cannot learn more. They canot have higher IQ. They must follow UMNo or PAS. So if you take the Sultans right, its billions going to them. Aaa...its on money, not knowledge. So in direct language, in being very very upfront towards you. Do you think that a Sultan want to see a real human? Or hear from a real human? Maybe a Sultan would want a 1 million,2 millions,3 millions, 4 millions, 5 millions. Do you think in Malaysia a Sultan wants to help Indian Chinese Malays wholeheartedly? That you must ask the Sultan wants to help la because a Sultan if they can be Malaysians and they can help all races. Perlis would never have the kidnappings of in Pastors.In Kelantan,you never have so many hundreds of bodies dying over there being aaa.. I mean being thrown la near the border. In Pahang, you wouldn't have pollution that is very very bad but, in every world, or in every country, you will have people lead about money and not humanity."
[4] Terasa sakit hati dan marah dengan video ini, SP1 telah membuat satu laporan polis sebagaimana Eksibit P2. Selanjutnya, berikutan dari laporan yang dibuat oleh SP1, OKT telah ditangkap oleh ASP Chay Hu Yeen (SP2) serta merampas barang kes seperti P7c dan P7d serta laporan tangkapan telah dibuat sebagaimana eksibit P6.
[5] Dalam siasatan oleh pegawai penyiasat iaitu SP7 ke atas OKT, satu laporan profiling iaitu eksibit P13 telah diterima daripada SP3 yang mengesahkan bahawa OKT adalah pengendali bagi akaun "Arunakiri Nathan II" tersebut.
[6] Oleh itu, OKT telah dituduh di Mahkamah sebagaimana pertuduhan di bawah s 233(1)(a) Akta 588 yang boleh dihukum dibawah s 233(3) seperti berikut:
"Bahawa kamu pada 15 Februari 2016 jam lebih kurang 11.52 malam melalui perkhidmatan aplikasi Facebook dengan menggunakan laman profil "Arunakirinathan II di pautan Facebook "Fahmi Reza" di pautan https://www. facebook. com/arunakiri. nathanii/videos/1213 00272274558/. secara sedar memuatnaik satu video kenyataan-kenyataan yang jelik sifatnya iaitu "Zakir Naik can actually con all Malays... Malaysians. Zakir Naik can cheat all the Sultans.You know why? Don't blame Sultan or don't blame the Malays. Malay Muslim because there is a rule of law where they cannot learn more. They canot have higher IQ. They must follow UMNo or PAS. So if you take the Sultans right, its billions going to them. Aaa...its on money, not knowledge. So in direct language, in being very very upfront towards you. Do you think that a Sultan want to see a real human? Or hear from a real human? Maybe a Sultan would want a 1 million,2 millions,3 millions, 4 millions, 5 millions. Do you thin
