PETALING JAYA, Feb 5 — Those who spread distorted pictures of national leaders will face legal action under Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998.

Deputy Inspector-General of Police Datuk Seri Noor Rashid Ibrahim said the act prohibited users of social media from abusing the facility for the purpose of slandering certain individuals.

“I warn users of social media not to use the communication platform for the purpose of threatening and slandering others, especially the country’s leaders,” he told reporters during the ‘Op Selamat 8/2016’ road safety campaign at the Litrak toll plaza here today.

He said this when asked to comment on the caricatures of clowns depicting Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak which had spread on social media recently.

In the meantime, Noor Rashid said the police would also investigate and take action against a social media user who had threatened to launch bomb attacks in the capital, including the prime minister’s residence. 

In another development, he said any party which caused injuries to others, whether local or foreigner, would be penalised.

Noor Rashid was commenting on a four-minute video footage which showed a Pakistani man being beaten up by controversial blogger ‘Papagomo’, which went viral on social media. — Bernama