Police have arrested a 37-year-old man over a Facebook post allegedly containing remarks insulting Islam and obscene language directed at Allah and Prophet Muhammad.
Johor police chief Comm Datuk Ab Rahaman Arsad said the arrest followed a report lodged at about 12.38am on Friday, 24 July. A member of the public who viewed the viral post alerted authorities, according to The Star.
Checks revealed that the owner of a Facebook account named “Fadzil Zahari” shared several screenshots uploaded by “Parthiban Ragu”. The screenshots allegedly contained material insulting Islam and used offensive and obscene expressions directed at Allah and Prophet Muhammad, FMT reported. The suspect was brought before the Johor Baru Magistrate’s Court, where police obtained a four-day remand order from Saturday, 25 July until Tuesday, 28 July to facilitate investigations, according to NST.
Acting on the information, a police team arrested the suspect at about 1am on Saturday in the Iskandar Puteri area. Officers seized two mobile phones believed to be linked to the case. The suspect has no prior criminal record.
The case is being investigated under Section 4(1) of the Sedition Act 1948, Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998, and Section 298 of the Penal Code for allegedly making remarks intended to wound the religious feelings of others.
Comm Ab Rahaman reminded the public not to touch on issues involving race, religion and royalty (3R) in any form that could jeopardise public harmony and order. He urged anyone with information on criminal activities to contact their nearest police station, the Johor police hotline at 019-279 2095, or the Johor police contingent operations room at 07-221 2999.
The arrest points to ongoing concerns about social media misuse in Malaysia. Authorities have repeatedly warned that content touching on 3R issues carries serious legal consequences and can threaten public order. The Communications and Multimedia Act 1998, under which the suspect is being investigated, carries penalties including fines and imprisonment for those found guilty of posting offensive content online.
The police chief’s statement also served as a reminder to the public to exercise caution when sharing content on social media, particularly material that may be considered inflammatory or provocative on religious matters.
