Facebook post, sex clips
Alvin Tan and Vivian Lee claimed trial to three charges for posting a controversial Ramadan greeting and sex clips online.
Malaysian sex bloggers Alvin Tan and Vivian Lee were on Thursday charged with sedition for posting a controversial Ramadan greeting on Facebook.
Tan, 25, and his girlfriend Lee, 24, pleaded not guilty to publishing or distributing a "seditious publication" and two other charges of causing disharmony on the grounds of religion and possessing or producing obscene material
They were charged under the Sedition Act, the Film Censorship Act, and the Penal Code.
A court official said the duo have been denied bail and will be jailed pending trial. The next court date has been set for August 23.
If convicted, they could be fined up to RM5,000 or be given a three year jail sentence, or both, and jailed for up to five years for the subsequent offence.
The pair sparked outrage last Thursday when they posted a picture of themselves eating “bak kut teh” (herbal pork soup) with the words “Selamat Berbuka Puasa” - a Malay greeting for breaking fast - and the “halal” logo, prompting attacks by netizens for its insensitivity toward religious matters.
They have since issued an apology and their Facebook page has been shut down due to “strong negative feedback”.
On Tuesday, former Malaysian Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad said the pair should be severely punished for their irresponsible actions.
"Saying things which can make people angry may cause them to retaliate and cause enmity. These people have no common sense. They are stupid but cannot be taught," he said.
Tan and Lee made headlines last year after posting sexually explicit photos and videos of themselves on their blog. Tan, a former Asean scholar at the National University of Singapore, was suspended and subsequently stripped of his scholarship.
Alvin Tan and Vivian Lee claimed trial to three charges for posting a controversial Ramadan greeting and sex clips online.
Malaysian sex bloggers Alvin Tan and Vivian Lee were on Thursday charged with sedition for posting a controversial Ramadan greeting on Facebook.
Tan, 25, and his girlfriend Lee, 24, pleaded not guilty to publishing or distributing a "seditious publication" and two other charges of causing disharmony on the grounds of religion and possessing or producing obscene material
They were charged under the Sedition Act, the Film Censorship Act, and the Penal Code.
A court official said the duo have been denied bail and will be jailed pending trial. The next court date has been set for August 23.
If convicted, they could be fined up to RM5,000 or be given a three year jail sentence, or both, and jailed for up to five years for the subsequent offence.
The pair sparked outrage last Thursday when they posted a picture of themselves eating “bak kut teh” (herbal pork soup) with the words “Selamat Berbuka Puasa” - a Malay greeting for breaking fast - and the “halal” logo, prompting attacks by netizens for its insensitivity toward religious matters.
They have since issued an apology and their Facebook page has been shut down due to “strong negative feedback”.
On Tuesday, former Malaysian Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad said the pair should be severely punished for their irresponsible actions.
"Saying things which can make people angry may cause them to retaliate and cause enmity. These people have no common sense. They are stupid but cannot be taught," he said.
Tan and Lee made headlines last year after posting sexually explicit photos and videos of themselves on their blog. Tan, a former Asean scholar at the National University of Singapore, was suspended and subsequently stripped of his scholarship.
