Three men were fined RM700 each, in default 14 days’ jail, by the magistrate’s court in Kuala Lumpur today for pasting up posters containing pictures and words which insulted Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng and former Bar Council president S Ambiga.

Magistrate Zulkpli Abdullah handed down the sentence on Muhammad Nizam Ali, Hamzah Mahmood and Shahir Saarani after they changed their plea from not guilty to guilty.

However, two others, Mohd Norizam Che Othman, 31, and Mohd Jamil Jamaluddin, 36, who were charged with them, maintained their not guilty plea.

The court maintained their bail at RM1,000 in one surety each and set Sept 4 for mention.

Muhammad Nizam, 24, a clerk at a private hospital; Hamzah, 32, a driver with a consultant company, and Shahir Saarani, 30, a technician, were jointly charged with five others still at large, with committing the offence at Jalan Wan Kadir, Taman Tun Dr Ismail in Kuala Lumpur, at 3.40am last Feb 4.

Anti guan eng - ambiga posters in Taman Tun Dr Ismail The posters had pictures and words like ‘Lim Guan Eng Racist’, ’ Lim Guan Eng Anti Melayu ’ (Lim Guan Eng Anti-Malay) and ‘ Undi Ambiga Undi Seks Bebas ’ (Vote Ambiga Vote Free Sex).

Deputy public prosecutor Haderiah Siri prosecuted, while the accused were represented by lawyer Rezal Mazli Abdul Muin.

- Bernama