KUCHING: Police have detained a 68-year-old local man after a Facebook comment allegedly insulting Islam triggered multiple police reports and a state-wide investigation.
Sarawak Police Commissioner, Datuk Mohamad Zainal Abdullah, said police had opened an investigation paper following a report lodged at the Marudi police station at about 9.08 am on Friday (Jan 23).
He said the comment, posted via a Facebook account, was deemed to contain elements of religious insult and provocation, with the potential to disrupt racial harmony and public order.
“Acting on the report, police from the Marudi District Police Headquarters detained a 68-year-old local man at about 11.45 am on the same day to assist in the investigation,” he said in a statement.
A mobile phone believed to have been used to upload the comment was also seized for further examination.
Zainal said investigations were being carried out under Section 4(1) of the Sedition Act 1948 and Section 233(2) of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998.
He added that the content had spread widely on social media, prompting seven police reports from members of the public as of the time of the statement.
Further investigations are ongoing, including coordination with the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), to verify ownership of the Facebook account involved and to block access to content found to be in breach of the law.
Police warned that any act touching on religious sensitivity, racial harmony and social cohesion is a serious offence and would not be compromised.
The public was also advised to use social media responsibly, comply with existing laws and respect religious and racial diversity to safeguard peace and harmony in Sarawak and the country.
