Human rights lawyer condemns doxxing over socks controversy

A human rights lawyer has criticised the doxxing and physical confrontation directed at two men accused of making online comments deemed disrespectful over the printing of the word “Allah” on socks.

Latheefa Koya was responding to incidents in Kuala Lumpur and Kota Kinabalu where two individuals faced backlash for their alleged comments on social media.

“This is not Islam. This is bullying and it’s distasteful. If you think someone committed an offence, lodge a report.

“You have no business to track him down and force him to make an online confession.

“Have recourse to the law, not roadside justice. Stop it!” said the former MACC chief on X, advocating for legal processes over vigilante justice.

Doxxing refers to publishing private information of an individual without their consent over the internet, usually a malicious targeting of the said individual.

In Kuala Lumpur, a man apologised after being confronted by a silat instructor influencer and his friends. The man’s personal details were also circulated across social media.

The identity card number, phone numbers, email address and home address of the individual were circulated on social media after he joked about the socks issue.

This led a group of men, including a silat gayung trainer who goes by the name Panglima Aduka and his friends, to confront him in person.

Allegedly offensive online comments

Similarly, in Kota Kinabalu, another man apologised via Facebook after a group of men tried to confront him at his condominium lobby but were barred from entering by the building’s security guard.

The Sabahan had posted a comment under a New Straits Times report, saying the socks incident was a non-issue. He also made derogatory remarks about Prophet Muhammad and Islam in replying to other social media users.

Kota Kinabalu district police chief Mohd Zaidi Abdullah confirmed receiving a police report over the Sabah incident and said the man who made the allegedly insulting remarks has been called in for questioning over the matter.

The case is being investigated under Section 298 of the Penal Code and Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998, reported the New Straits Times.

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