Johor police lodge reports against Malaysiakini, Insider

Nov 6, 2012

Johor police have lodged two reports against Internet news portals Malaysiakini and The Malaysian Insider over their coverage of the arrest of the man alleged to have insulted the Johor sultan in a Facebook posting.

Johor Criminal Investigation Department deputy director Nor Azizan Anan said the 27-year-old quantity surveyor had been detained in Wangsa Maju, Kuala Lumpur, at 7.30pm last Friday to assist investigations.

“... The Malaysian Insider and Malaysiakini published articles regarding the investigation and detention on Saturday and Sunday,” he was quoted as saying in a statement carried by Berita Harian.

“... Johor police have lodged two police reports regarding the articles and an investigation has been carried out according to Section 500 [sic] of the Penal Code.”

Section 500 is the penalty provision for criminal defamation, which itself is defined in Sections 499 (writing), 501 (printing) and 502 (sale) of defamatory matters.

Nor Azizan said the authors of the articles and the witnesses mentioned will be called to give statements. It was not stated how the two portals may have breached the law.

Malaysiakini reported on Nov 3 that Ahmad Abd Jalil (left) had been  detained by police under the Sedition Act.

Another report quoted his lawyer as saying that the police were on the lookout for others connected to the allegedly offensive Facebook post.

The Johor Baru magistrate’s court ordered Ahmad's release from remand yesterday but he has been arrested again under a different charge, according to his lawyer.