Former Sec of Sg Besar UMNO division fined RM4,000 for organising illegal rally




PETALING JAYA, May 25 (Bernama) -- Sungai Besar UMNO division former secretary Mohamed Durrany Izam was fined RM4,000 by the Sessions Court here today after being found guilty of organising an illegal rally in front of news portal Malaysiakini office, two years ago.

Judge Mohammed Mokhzani Mokhtar meted out the sentence to Mohamed Durrany, 36, who is also a former secretary to to the division's chief Datuk Seri Jamal Md Yunos, after finding that the defence had failed to raise reasonable doubts at the end of the defence case.

The court also ordered the accused to serve four months jail if he failed to pay the fine. The accused paid up.

According to the charge, Mohamed Durrany, as the organiser of the Coalition of Non-Governmental Organisations of Malaysia 'Gerakan Merah' programme, allegedly failed to inform the Petaling Jaya district police chief 10 days before the rally was held.

The offence was committed at Jalan Tandang 51 / 205A, here, at 2pm on Nov 5, 2016. He was charged under Section 9 (1) of the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012 and punishable under Section 9 (5) of the same Act which carries a fine of not more than RM10,000, upon conviction.

Earlier, Deputy Public Prosecutor V. V. Suloshani pressed for a just punishment after taking into account public interest and security.

Counsel Izzat Zabir Sariff who represented Mohamed Durrany urged the court ti impose a lenient sentence saying the accused currently was unemployed and has regretted his actions.

On Nov 5, 2016, the media reported that about 1,100 people in red shirts gathered in front of Malaysiakini's office and demanded that the news portal to be closed due to allegations that it received funding from the Open Society Foundation (OSF), which is linked to billionaire George Soros.

-- BERNAMA