KUALA LUMPUR: Vivian Lee, the former girlfriend of controversial blogger Alvin Tan, was ordered by the High Court here today to enter her defence on a charge of insulting the Muslims by making an offensive posting on their Facebook.
Judge Abdul Rashid Daud made the ruling after finding that the prosecution had succeeded in establishing a prima facie case against Lee, whose full name is Lee May Ling, at the of the prosecution’s case.
The court set two days, from May 10, for Lee, represented by lawyer Chong Joo Tian, to do so.
Lee, 27, and Tan were charged with committing the offence by posting a picture of her and Tan with a caption “Selamat Berbuka Puasa (with Bak Kut Teh…fragrant, delicious and appetising)”, which also contained the halal logo, on their Facebook at 9 am on July 12, 2013.
The charge was made under Section 4(1)(c) of the Sedition Act 1948.
They are charged under Section 5(1) of the Film Censorship Act 2002 for posting an obscene photograph on the same Facebook page between 9 pm on July 6, 2013 and 2 am on July 7, 2013
However, Abdul Rashid acquitted and discharged Lee on the second charge.
“After studying all the evidence by witnesses, the court ordered the accused (Lee) to enter her defence on the charge made under the Sedition Act, but she is acquitted and discharged of the charge under the Film Censorship Act,” he said.
Meanwhile, deputy public prosecutor Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin, who prosecuted, when met outside the court, said the prosecution against Tan would continue, despite his absence in court.
Tan, who full name is Tan Jye Yee, is believed to have fled to the United States to avoid attending the trial proceedings.-BERNAMA