The police are caught in a situation where
they would be criticised whether or not they take action against the
teenager who allegedly clicked ‘Like’ on a pro-Israel Facebook page,
said Communications and Multimedia Minister Ahmad Shabery Cheek.
“If
the police don’t act, people get angry. If the police act, people get
angry. This is where the enforcers need to use their discretion,” he
told reporters today.
He said this when reporters asked whether it is disproportionate to investigate a Form Five student under the Sedition Act for supposedly clicking ‘Like’ on a Facebook paged called ‘I love Israel’.
The 17-year old has reportedly denied clicking ‘Like’ on the web page and has lodged a police report out of fear for his safety, after being harassed.
Penang police chief Abdul Rahim Hanafi said they schoolboy is being investigated under Section 4(1)(a) of the Sedition Act and the police has already recorded his statement.
A person convicted under the provision can be fined up to RM5,000, jailed up to three years, or both, on the first offence.
When asked again whether it is necessary to investigate the teenager for such a serious offence for supposedly clicking ‘Like’, Shabery stressed that he is merely being investigated and no action has been taken against him yet.
“I think he merely ‘liked’ the page, perhaps the police would recommend that no further action should be taken against him. However the police want more information, that’s normal,” he said.
“If
the police don’t act, people get angry. If the police act, people get
angry. This is where the enforcers need to use their discretion,” he
told reporters today.He said this when reporters asked whether it is disproportionate to investigate a Form Five student under the Sedition Act for supposedly clicking ‘Like’ on a Facebook paged called ‘I love Israel’.
The 17-year old has reportedly denied clicking ‘Like’ on the web page and has lodged a police report out of fear for his safety, after being harassed.
Penang police chief Abdul Rahim Hanafi said they schoolboy is being investigated under Section 4(1)(a) of the Sedition Act and the police has already recorded his statement.
A person convicted under the provision can be fined up to RM5,000, jailed up to three years, or both, on the first offence.
When asked again whether it is necessary to investigate the teenager for such a serious offence for supposedly clicking ‘Like’, Shabery stressed that he is merely being investigated and no action has been taken against him yet.
“I think he merely ‘liked’ the page, perhaps the police would recommend that no further action should be taken against him. However the police want more information, that’s normal,” he said.
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