KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 12 — Jay Jay Denis, a press aide to Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari, said today he is facing two charges over a posting he made on X (formerly Twitter) last year that was seemingly critical of Melaka Governor Tun Ali Rustam.
Denis said on X this morning that he would be charged under Section 505 of the Penal Code and Section 233 of the Multimedia and Communication Act at the Alor Gajah Magistrate’s Court on Thursday.
The former deals with statements that may “cause public mischief” while the latter involves “comment, request, suggestion or other communication which is obscene, indecent, false, menacing or offensive in character with intent to annoy, abuse, threaten or harass another person” made on any digital platform.
“Latest: After a year, the police just informed me that I will be charged at the Alor Gajah court, Melaka, over the posting I made that referred to TYT Melaka, Tun Ali Rustam,” he wrote.
“I was also informed I would be charged under Section 505 of the Penal Code and Section 233 of the Multimedia and Communication Act. I have told them that I would voluntarily show up at court on Thursday.
“Pray for me friends.”
In the posting in question, the Selangor menteri besar’s aide suggested the security motorcade that escorted Ali Rustam to a private dinner with his family members at a restaurant in Selangor was excessive for a non-official function.
Denis said the vehicles that escorted the Melaka governor had blocked a major lane on the Sprint expressway in Petaling Jaya where they were also said to have made a “sudden U-turn” as they made their way to the Sri Ayutthaya restaurant, suggesting that it could have been dangerous for other road users.
The charges against the Selangor MB’s aide adds on to a growing list of punitive action taken against political leaders, activists and the public for expressing views that are seen as critical of the establishment over the last few months.
Human rights groups have described it as a worrying trend that is taking shape under a government that won on a reform ticket.
