Sungai Buloh MP Sivarasa Rasiah was today freed by the Sessions Court in Kuala Lumpur of a charge under the Communications and Multimedia Act for tweeting a fake Time magazine cover.

Deputy public prosecutor from the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission, Mohd Sophian Zakaria, informed the court that the prosecution has accepted the letter of representation.

The Attorney-General's Chambers head of prosecution Othman Yusof wrote in the letter dated yesterday, agreeing to the withdrawal of the charge against Sivarasa.

Contacted by Malaysiakini, Sivarasa's lawyer M Puravalen confirmed the acceptance of the letter.

"With this, he is acquitted of the charge and discharged, " the lawyer said.

Sessions judge Zamri Bakar recorded the discharge and acquittal.

A letter of representation is a letter sent to the relevant prosecuting authority, usually the Attorney-General’s Chambers, requesting them to drop or reduce some or all of the charges brought against the accused. 

Sivarasa claimed trial on April 15, 2016, to two charges under the Communications and Multimedia Act (CMA) 1998. 

This is over the doctored Time magazine cover he posted on his Facebook account featuring then prime minister Najib Abdul Razak with the words "No 2 on the most corrupt list", though the post was taken down later the same day, after he was informed it was fake.

Both the charges are under Section 233(1)(a) of CMA, for improper use of network facilities to "create and initiate the transmission of false communication with the intent to annoy another person".