NIBONG TEBAL, Aug 13 — A Form Five student who was threatened with immolation for allegedly liking an “I love Israel” Facebook page is now under investigation for sedition.
The 17-year-old who sought police aid two days ago was called in for questioning today by the South Seberang Perai police.
“We are investigating him under Section 4 (1) (a) of the Sedition Act,” Penang police chief Datuk Abdul Rahim Hanafi told reporters at the South Seberang Perai district police headquarters Hari Raya open house here.
“In his statement, he claimed that he had accidentally clicked ‘like’ on the page,” he said, referring to the teen’s recorded statement.
Abdul Rahim added that the police had questioned yesterday a teacher from the same school as the student who had allegedly linked the teen to the “I love Israel” Facebook page.
The sedition law prescribes a maximum fine of RM5,000 or a jail sentence of three years for a convicted first-time offender, or both, and raises the jail term to five years for subsequent offences.
The fifth former filed a police report after a teacher from his school allegedly circulated a screen captured image of the controversial post, which prompted attacks from other Facebook users to cut off ties with the student and to “boycott”.
Another teacher purportedly from the same school, went a step further, leaving on the first teacher’s Facebook page that is accessible only to friends a message that read: “Kita bakor je hahaha [We just burn hahaha]”.
South Seberang Perai district police chief ACP Shafein Mamat said more teachers and students from the boy’s school will be called to give their statements.
“We are investigating both aspects, one of him liking the controversial page and another on the threats against him,” Shafein said.
The student has since deactivated his Facebook account.
