Nabil Luqman

0f9d2dd4f71434084e2b6094de1865e23abb37bb9f28ca51feeabee679ec9be2

Social

death

crime

tiktok

mental health

laws

socialmedia

cyberbullying

livestream

Esha

Last week, Malaysians were deeply saddened to learn about the tragic death of local social media influencer and educator Rajeswary Appahu, known as Esha, who took her own life after enduring weeks of online harassment.
For those unfamiliar with Esha, she was a prominent voice addressing issues affecting the Indian Malaysian community. Her ordeal began when she faced harassment and trolling from an online viewer who used her photos to issue multiple threats, including rape, murder, and physical harm. The bullies posted videos with Esha's photos in the background, accompanied by explicit threats and defamatory language aimed at intimidating her.
Read: <a href="https://myc.my/articles/3620/malaysian-tiktoker-found-deceased-following-cyberbullying-and-harassment">Malaysian TikToker Found Deceased Following Cyberbullying And Harassment</a>
It seems justice has been partially served, as the courts have reached a decision regarding the suspects in the case.
Suspects Plead Guilty For Cyberbullying Esha
<img src="https://r2.myc.my/9349933a1c7e44952a154b0eb0c90c807a9ddb2a18c287d5d04fc128c753ec62" width="389" height="495" />
A female suspect, arrested on July 8 in connection with the cyberbullying death of Malaysian social media influencer Esha has been fined by the magistrates court. Shalini Periasamy, 35, was fined the maximum of RM100 by Magistrate S Arunjothy on July 16 for intentionally using vulgar language to provoke anger and disturb the peace.
Shalini pleaded guilty to the offence, which she committed via her TikTok account, @alphaquinnsha which has since been changed to the handle @shaliniperiasamy. This account was one of three named in a police report filed by the victim the day before she died by suicide on July 5.
In her police report, Esha claimed she was trolled and harassed during a live session on TikTok. The 29-year-old reported that one individual used her photo and made several threats to "rape and kill" as well as "injure" her. Many viewers of the session also directed abuse towards her.
According to the New Straits Times, Shalini's actions are believed to be linked to this cyberbullying case. Shalini, who runs a mental health care service, was ordered to pay the fine or face seven days in jail under Section 14 of the Minor Offences Act 1955.
<img src="https://r2.myc.my/eebcc62bce4762e23b5a8a6ee3ede39613946c041ba8d930a4a91b19e065b333" />
Meanwhile, 44-year-old lorry driver B. Sathiskumar also pleaded guilty to posting lewd comments on TikTok using the account @dulal_brothers_360 at 10:21 PM on June 30, intending to annoy others.
This account was one of the three named in Esha's police report. Sathiskumar was charged under Section 233(1)(a) of the Communications and Multimedia Act (CMA) 1998, which carries a maximum fine of RM50,000 or up to one year in jail, plus an additional RM1,000 fine for each day the offence continues after conviction.
Additionally, he faced a second charge under Section 509 of the Penal Code for posting lewd comments intended to outrage the modesty of the victim&rsquo;s mother, P. R. Puspa, 56, at 10:15 PM on the same day.
Deputy public prosecutor Mohd Sabri Othman informed Sessions Court judge Siti Aminah Ghazali that Sathiskumar's actions contributed significantly to the cyberbullying of Esha, causing her severe emotional distress.
"The victim was found dead after the lewd comments were posted by the accused," he said.
Sathiskumar, who earns only RM1,000 and has a disabled wife (OKU), pleaded for a reduced bail, explaining that he has children aged 18, 20, and 21 who are still studying. Judge Siti Aminah set the bail at RM36,000 for both cases, requiring the accused to surrender his passport to the court until the case is resolved and to report to the police station monthly.
The case is scheduled for mention on August 16.
Government May Amend Penal Code To Address Cyberbullying
<img src="https://r2.myc.my/9fa4a4e80f6b8dfeb039c049fd38a5aeb6c8c7055342de599592ee69dee2b7e0" />
Recognizing the need to address cyberbullying, Minister in the Prime Minister&rsquo;s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman stated that the government might consider amending the penal code to include specific provisions targeting cyberbullying.
She acknowledged that while there are several provisions under current legislation, they do not explicitly cover the offence of cyberbullying, revealing significant loopholes in the law regarding this issue.
&ldquo;As a result, the criminal elements under the existing provisions make investigation and prosecution difficult, which could be one of the reasons why the public takes cyberbullying lightly, leading to the perpetuation of the issue,&rdquo; said Azalina.
Though Esha is no longer with us, let's hope justice will prevail and that future cases like this can be prevented. It's crucial to recognize the severity of cyberbullying and ensure appropriate measures are taken to stop these incidents before it's too late.
What are your thoughts on this? Let us know in the comments. 
&nbsp;
*Sources: Visual and Reference Credits to Social Media &amp; various cross-references for context.
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It seems like there’s a loophole in the law that needs to be addressed. 

1945c69091419e96128a6650bc3e6940d55a61f59d43276d6df07d623a278d66

Suspect Involved In Cyberbullying Death Case Of M’sian TikToker Fined RM100 By The Court

Suspect Involved In Cyberbullying Death Case Of M’sian TikToker Fined RM100 By The Court

It seems like there’s a loophole in the law that needs to be addressed.

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