KUCHING: A 21-year-old youth was fined RM3,000 by the Magistrates’ Court here on Tuesday (July 7) for possessing a video containing the symbol of an unlawful society, identified as Geng 24.
Magistrate Ling Hui Chuan meted out the fine to Mohammad Hasricks Morshidi after he pleaded guilty to committing the offence under Section 47 of the Societies Act 1966.
Section 47 of the Societies Act 1966 provides for a maximum fine of RM5,000, imprisonment of up to two years, or both upon conviction.
The court ordered him to serve nine months’ imprisonment if he failed to pay the fine.
He was charged with possessing a pictorial representation of an unlawful society in the form of a video uploaded to his TikTok account @shrek2424 using a Galaxy A12 smartphone.
The offence was committed at a house in Kampung Sungai Midin, Jalan Bangau, Semerah Padi, Petra Jaya, Kuching, at about 8.50am on March 3, 2025.
The charge stated that he had, without lawful authority, possessed the video containing elements associated with Geng 24, an unlawful society, and committed an offence punishable under Section 47 of the Societies Act 1966.
According to the case facts, an Inspector from the Criminal Investigation Department of the Sarawak Police Contingent Headquarters lodged a report after discovering a TikTok video uploaded by an individual using the account name @shrek2424.
The video was believed to have promoted the identity and symbols of Geng 24.
The following day on March 4, 2025, police arrested the accused after the report was lodged.
Police investigations later found that the TikTok account belonged to Mohammad Hasricks, who admitted knowing the contents of the uploaded video and acknowledged that the symbol displayed in the video was associated with Geng 24.
During mitigation, his counsel told the court that Mohammad Hasricks was only 20 years old when the offence was committed and had no previous convictions.
The court was also informed that the accused uploaded the edited video while seeking popularity on social media and had obtained the original footage from another social media account.
His counsel said the original video depicted people participating in a procession in Kuching, but it was edited with an image bearing the number “24”, which led to its association with an unlawful society.
The court was urged to consider leniency and impose a lower fine, given his age, clean record, guilty plea and remorse.
The prosecution, however, reminded the court of the seriousness of offences involving unlawful societies.
The prosecution was conducted by deputy public prosecutor Muhammad Afiq Safly Nor Kazly while Mohammad Hasricks was represented by counsel Ralph Lee and
