Small trader fined for 'sakai', 'Tarzan' comment against deputy speaker

A small trader from Seremban was fined RM1,300 for a Facebook comment insulting deputy Dewan Rakyat speaker Ramli Nor and the Orang Asli community.

Tapah district police chief Johari Yahya confirmed the fine against M Toraise @ Turesh Kumar, 53, under Section 504 of the Penal Code.

According to Johari, Turesh’s lawyer R Baramurali had pleaded for a reduced sentence, describing the accused as a single father supporting two children and only running a small business with a monthly income of RM1,000 to RM1,500.

He said the lawyer also argued that Turesh has limited language proficiency and did not understand the consequences of his actions, which could disrupt public order.

Last month, Orang Asli activist Chew Ho Beng urged authorities to take action against a Facebook user calling Ramli a “Sakai” and having the mental capacity “like Tarzan”.

Chew at the time said the comment was left under a Facebook post by MIC Youth information chief Navinn Rajendran that touched on a dispute over an Orang Asli football competition held in Tapah in May.

Ramli, in response to the incident, urged all parties to be careful in making any comment so as not to provoke ill feelings among the multiracial community in the country.

He also said the word “sakai” is very sensitive to the Orang Asli community, especially for the Semai tribe, where the word means “slave”.

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