Malaysian police arrest man for insulting King, investigate three others

The social media posts followed the decision of the King, Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin (above), on Saturday to name former interior minister Muhyiddin Yassin as Malaysia's next prime minister. PHOTO: AFP

KUALA LUMPUR (REUTERS) - Malaysia has arrested a man and started investigating three others for social media posts that insult the King and threaten public order, the police said on Sunday (March 1).

The social media posts followed the King's decision on Saturday to name former interior minister Muhyiddin Yassin as Malaysia's next prime minister, after a week of political turmoil sparked by former premier Mahathir Mohamad's resignation.

A 35-year-old man was remanded on Sunday over a Facebook update insulting the King. Further investigations are ongoing, the police said in a statement.

Another two men are also under investigation for insulting the King in Facebook posts, while a Twitter user is being investigated as well.

The latter "deliberately uploaded a statement with elements of sedition that can cause an environment of disharmony, disorder, feelings of enmity and disrupting public peace and safety", police said.

The user, who tweeted under the handle @FadiahNadwa, posted a message calling for those "outraged by the betrayal" to rally on Saturday night.

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