Political influencer 'Ratu Naga' detained by police over viral video

share on

twitter /
facebook /
linkedin /
- email
- telegram
- whatsapp
- wechat
- pinterest
- line
- snapchat
- reddit

Political influencer Syarul Ema Rena Abu Samah (pictured), also known as "Ratu Naga", has been detained in connection with a video she posted online. In the video, the influencer alleged that a group of students at a Chinese school in Teluk Intan, Perak, sang the national anthem Negaraku in Mandarin.

According to a report by The Star, the pro-Perikatan Nasional activist was arrested by Perak police under the Sedition Act 1948, and section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act for the improper use of network facilities.

Her lawyer, Zaid Malek reportedly said that no criminal offence arose from anything Syarul Ema said in the video, and claimed the arrest was unlawful and high-handed.

Don't miss: MCMC investigates political influencer and one other over 3R content

The influencer will be released on police bail today (11 April) after further investigation. Earlier, Bernama reported that Hilir Perak police chief Bakri Zainal Abidin said the arrest was made by the criminal investigation division at the Petaling Jaya police headquarters yesterday (10 April) afternoon.

In addition, the video of the students were found to be recorded on 6 June 2024 during the launch ceremony of the school's dragon dance club. The song sung by the children was the Perak state anthem, and not the national anthem as claimed by Syarul Ema.

The police reportedly acted on the incident as it received three police reports against the influencer, who later apologised for her false claims on her Facebook page and removed her post within 10 minutes of uploading it.

In a separate report by The Star, Bakri said that the public are advised to not spread unverified information that could cause public distress or controversy. He also warned that stern action will be taken against those who spread fake news.

Meanwhile, communications minister Fahmi Fadzil warned the public, especially influencers, to not post obscene, extreme, defamatory and fake news, according to media reports. He said that such postings would lead to action.

The communications minister further added that since February this year, amendments to the Communications Act have come into force. Under the changes, violations such as sending offensive or extreme content, defamation, fake news, cyberbullying, and other related issues, can lead to fines of up to RM500,000 if convicted in court, or a compound of up to RM250,000 before going to court.

Fahmi also hoped that the amendments would serve as a deterrent and a reminder for the public to be cautious. The minister urged the public to verify information that they receive on WhatsApp or social media with mainstream media first, and avoid sharing it if they are unsure about it.

Earlier this week, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) opened four investigation papers against two individuals who were found to have uploaded false and offensive content containing elements of the 3Rs (race, religion and royalty) on Facebook and TikTok.

In a statement, the MCMC said that the public is advised to use social media platforms responsibly and respectfully, and to refrain from uploading any 3R-related content that could threaten racial and religious harmony in the country.

In a similar case to that took headlines earlier this year, the MCMC fined Era FM's license holder Maestra Broadcast RM 250,000, for an offense under section 233 of the same Communications and Multimedia Act 1988. The MCMC said it viewed any action that could cause tension between religions or disrupt societal harmony seriously.

Join us this coming 21 May for #Content360, an extravaganza centered around three core thematic pillars: Challenging the norm; Conquering Media Fragmentation; and Unlocking Imagination. Immerse yourself in learning to curate content with creativity, critical thinking, and confidence with us at Content360!