Kota Kinabalu: A 32-year-old housewife who admitted to posting a false remark on Facebook linking the Head of State to the Zara Qairina Mahathir case was fined RM10,000 or face two months’ jail by the Sessions Court here on Thursday.
Asmaziah Sedek from Kota Marudu pleaded guilty before Judge Marlina Ibrahim to uploading the post on July 29 via a Facebook account under the name “Ash Qiey.”The charge stated that Asmaziah posted the false information with the intent to cause annoyance to others. The post was later read by Abdullah Hussin at the official residence of the Head of State on July 31.
In mitigation, Asmaziah said she had no intention to incite anyone and that her post was an emotional reaction as a mother.
She told the court she had travelled from Kota Marudu with her eight-month-old baby and her mother and pleaded for leniency, citing financial hardship, saying she is only a housewife and her husband had just started work in Tenom, which is far from Kota Marudu.
“I have a breastfeeding baby and another child still in school. I hope the court will consider a lighter sentence as we are struggling financially,” she said.
Earlier, the prosecution submitted that a police report was lodged on Aug 1 after the complainant came across a WhatsApp message containing defamatory content against the Sabah Head of State.
Investigations revealed that the false claim originated from the Facebook account “Ash Qiey,” alleging that a family member of the Head of State was involved in the death of Zara Qairina Mahathir.
The complainant said the statement was baseless and defamatory, and that it had tarnished the image of the Head of State and the Sabah Palace, undermining the credibility of the State’s highest office.
Asmaziah was arrested in Kota Marudu on Aug 13. Police seized her Redmi 13C mobile phone and SIM card. Forensic analysis by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) confirmed the device had been used to upload the posting at 9.21pm on July 29. The phone number was also verified to be registered under her name.
Deputy Public Prosecutors DK Afiqah Alya PG Johari and Nurul Shafeerah Mad Iskim urged for a heavy sentence, stressing the seriousness of cyber offences.
DPP Afiqah said the falsehood directly implicated Sabah’s 11th Head of State, Tun Musa Aman, and emphasized how such content can spread rapidly and widely with just a click.
She noted that Parliament had recently increased penalties under Section 233(1)(a) of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998, raising the maximum fine to RM500,000, with up to two years’ jail, and an additional RM5,000 per day for continued offences.
“The frequency of such posts, especially after the Zara Qairina Mahathir inquest, shows a troubling trend where social media is flooded with false and harmful comments made without regard for truth or consequences,” she said.
The prosecution urged the court to impose a custodial sentence to serve as a deterrent to others.
Asmaziah was charged under Section 233(1)(a) of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998, punishable under Section 233(2).
