KUANTAN, Jan 29 – A social media influencer was fined RM40,000 after pleading guilty to posting an offensive video showing three teenage boys giving rice mixed with chicken bones to a homeless man on a city sidewalk.
Tang Sie Luk, 23, faced the charge before Judge Sazlina Safie at the Semambu State Community Service Centre, Lorong Sekilau 58, Jalan Haji Ahmad here. The judge also ordered four months’ imprisonment in default of payment. Tang promptly paid the fine.
He was charged under Section 233(1)(a) of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 for knowingly creating and posting an extremely offensive video via his Instagram account, “aluk_777”, intending to cause annoyance. The law carries a maximum fine of RM500,000 or imprisonment of up to two years, or both, and an additional RM5,000 daily fine for continued offences.
The video, recorded on Aug 4, 2025, showed Tang and three teenagers giving food scraps mixed with chicken bones to a homeless man sleeping on a five-foot way on Jalan Wong Ah Fook, Johor Bahru. The over one-minute-long clip quickly went viral online.
During the hearing, Tang, who was unrepresented, pleaded for a minimum fine, expressing remorse and stating he had already apologized for his actions.
However, Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) deputy public prosecutor, Fadhli Ab Wahab, urged the court to issue a deterrent sentence. He emphasised that the act was not charity but a deliberate exploitation of human suffering for social media attention. He added that the victim felt insulted and angry over the incident.
The court’s ruling sends a strong message to the public against exploiting vulnerable individuals online for content, reminding social media users of their responsibilities under Malaysian law. – Bernama
