COMMENT | The founder of the Sugarbook application was charged in the Magistrate's Court on Feb 24 with ‘publishing statements conducive to public mischief' on social media on Feb 10.

Information technology entrepreneur, 34-year-old Chan Eu Boon, was charged with intent to cause fear or alarm to the public or any section of the public that any person may be induced to commit an offence against public order through such publication.

I do not want to discuss the merits of the case lest I am cited for contempt under the sub judice rule but many Malaysians would have come across many statements on social media that are 'conducive to public mischief'.

But this subjective test of causing 'fear and alarm' compelled me to think aloud. Who decides if a statement causes fear? Usually, the 'reasonable man' test is applied but I am still asking myself whether an arrest is necessary, especially for a non-seizable offence.

Weren’t Najib Abdul Razak’s supporters alarmed when the Pakatan Harapan's presidential council stated that the verdict in the SRC trial was a “big victory” for Malaysians? Many had expressly said so.

Would I be subjected to Section 505 of the Penal Code if I publish results of a survey by Pornhub, an ...