The Sessions Court in Kuala Lumpur today set Aug 1 to hear the case of Subang Member of Parliament RSivarasa who is charged with uploading a fake cover of Time magazine with an image of Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak on his Facebook.

Judge Amernudin Ahmad set the date after the case came up for mention. He also set July 19 for mention.

Sivarasa, 60, had pleaded not guilty to two counts of uploading and sharing the fake cover of the magazine in English and Malay on his Facebook page, ‘Sivarasa Rasiah’, at 7.41pm last March 22 and 4.59am on March 23, respectively.

The lawyer was charged under Section 233 (1) (a) of the Communication and Multimedia Act 1998 for creating and initiating transmission of false communication to annoy another person.

The section provides for a maximum fine of RM50,000 or imprisonment not exceeding one year or both, upon conviction.

Deputy public prosecutor Mohd Mukhzany Fariz Mohd Mokhtar prosecuted, while lawyer Melissa Sasidaran represented Sivarasa.

- Bernama