Stoking Allah’s name: Wai Loong accused again, pleads not guilty

KUALA LUMPUR: In the Sessions Court here on Thursday, a man who made contentious remarks over the matter of stockings bearing the name of Allah was charged with the same offense once more. Chiok Wai Loong, 35, a social media application technician who had earlier entered a guilty plea, was able to have the admission overturned by the High Court during a review, citing the plea’s ambiguity.

Wai Loong was then ordered to face further charges, and the court recorded a not guilty plea in front of Judge Siti Aminah Ghazali.
According to the charge, the man is accused of knowingly making and initiating the transmission of offensive communication, via the Facebook application service, using the profile name ‘Chiok Wai Loong’ on March 18. It was with the intention to hurt the feelings of others, which was seen at 3 a.m. on the same day in Brickfields here. The charge was made under Section 233(1)(a) of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 and can be punished under subsection 233(3) of the same act, which carries a fine not exceeding RM50,000 or imprisonment not exceeding one year or both and an additional fine of RM1,000 for each day the offense continues after conviction, if found guilty.

During the proceedings, Deputy Public Prosecutor, Datin Kalmizah Salleh suggested that the accused be released on bail of RM15,000 with one surety including additional conditions, namely reporting to the police station once every month and refraining from making any posts until the case is resolved.

However, lawyer, Latheefa Koya, representing Wai Loong, said her client’s child had gone bankrupt and had no job after the conviction made last month. “He is unable to provide the money if the bail amount is set too high,” she said. After hearing submissions from all parties, Siti Aminah allowed the accused to be bailed for RM5,000 with one surety. The court also rejected the additional conditions proposed by the prosecution, and set May 23 for a mention of the case.

On Thursday, Sinar Harian reported that a six-month prison sentence and a RM12,000 fine against a social media application technician in connection with offensive comments on the issue of stocking with the word ALLAH, were overturned by the High Court here. This comes after Judge, Datuk Ahmad Bache allowed a review to be filed by the accused, Wai Loong, so that his guilty plea on the charge could be made, not as a clear plea and unconditionally. Previously, the media reported that the accused publicly apologized after being charged with escalating tension in the issue of selling stockings with the word ALLAH in a convenience store. On March 22, Judge, Suzana Hussin sentenced Wai Loong to six months’ imprisonment and a RM12,000 fine for the technician after pleading guilty to the charge.

-Agency