‘Ham’ Issue: Harith Iskander, Cecelia Yap Fined RM10,000

Actor and comedian Harith Iskander, along with Cecelia Yap Song, were each fined RM10,000 by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) for posting offensive content and comments about Islam on Facebook last month.

According to an official statement from MCMC, the fines were issued under Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998, based on provisions before the act’s amendment, which will only take effect on February 11, 2025.

In Cecelia Yap’s case, she allegedly sparked controversy with a post that insulted Islam related to the ‘ham’ issue. Meanwhile, Harith Iskander uploaded a picture of a coffee cup labeled “hamsap kopi” priced at RM5.50, while saying he felt confused and his faith was shaken because the word ‘ham’ was used.

Following this controversy, Meta has removed the content, and a request to shut down the Facebook accounts of both individuals is currently under review and evaluation by Meta.

In another development, MCMC also announced that it will submit investigation papers to the Deputy Public Prosecutor on Thursday regarding a video mocking Hinduism, which was uploaded to the TikTok account of Era FM radio station.

This case serves as yet another reminder to all social media users to be more cautious when sharing content, especially when it touches on religious and community sensitivities. – BOOM!