Man jailed over racist remarks on sharonliew86 'parody' account

The court heard that Singaporean Zainal Abidin Shaiful Bahari had originally conceptualised the Twitter account “SharonLiew86” – with a ... ReadfullarticleWanTingKoh·SeniorReporter8June2021,10:45am·4-minreadTheSingaporeStateCourts.(PHOTO:DhanyOsman/YahooNewsSingapore)SINGAPORE—Amanwhopostedraciallyinsensitivecommentsonlineunderthepseudonym"SharonLiew"onTwitterwasjailedforthreeweeksonTuesday(8June).ThecourtheardthatSingaporeanZainalAbidinShaifulBaharihadoriginallyconceptualisedtheTwitteraccount“SharonLiew86”–withaprofilephotoofaChinesewoman–asaparodyaccountwithtwofriends.The35-year-old,thenaseniordirectoratacomputersoftwarecompany,pleadedguiltytotwooutoffourcountsofpromotingenmitybetweendifferentracialgroupsbycommittingactsprejudicialtothemaintenanceofracialharmonyandwhicharelikelytodisturbpublictranquillity,withtheremainingtwocountsconsideredforhissentencing.Zainalandthetwofriends,both33-year-oldSingaporeanwomen,setuptheaccountinJuly2018.TheychoseaphotothrougharandomInternetsearchforaChinesewoman.Accordingtotheprosecution,theaccountwasconceptualisedasaparodyaccountsatirisingraciallyinsensitiveSingaporeans.Itgarneredmorethan5,600followersatonepoint.However,thetwofriendsstoppedpostingthetweetsfromearly2019,andZainaltooksolecontroloftheaccount.Hethenpublishedmultipletweetsthatwereraciallyoffensivebetween2019andAprillastyear.AlludedtoLeeKuanYewbookAccordingtohischarges,Zainalmadeapostaround11October2019belittlingtheMalaycommunity.Amongotherthings,healludedtothebookLeeKuanYew:HardTruthstoKeepSingaporeGoingandallegedlysaid,“MalayexpressisChinesenormalsacademic.MalayNAisChinesenormaltechnicalMalaynormaltechisackcherly(sic)sameasAssumptionCocationInstitute(sic).”Thenon25Marchlastyear,hetweeted,“Fromlongagooreadi(sic)smartChinesewomansdosocialdistancinginsideMRTwhenwediediedontwanttositnexttosmellyapuneneh",usingaracialslurtorefertoIndians.Zainalusedthesamesluron17AprillastyearwhenhewroteonTwitter,“Youdon'tknowhowtobehavelaterapunenehcoronaviruscatchyou".StorycontinuesThetweetwascirculatedwithatleast39retweets,anditwassharedatleast479times.Zainaltookdownthetweetabouthalfanhourafterrealisingitwasgoingviral,andwasgeneratingsubstantialnegativeresponses.However,thenextday,Zainalinsultedthepottuorbindi–acoloureddotwornonthecentreoftheforeheadbyHinduswithreligioussignificance.Hestated,"IthoughtIndianisoreadi(sic)veryusetobeingtargetastheyhavesniperdotonforehead".FromJanuary2019toAprillastyear,atotalofthreepolicereportswerefiledagainstZainal'sraciallyoffensivetweets.Oneofthesereports,filedon14October2019,wasbyamemberofthepublicwhowasawarethattheaccounthadstartedoffasaparody,butwasnonethelessoffendedbythe11Octobertweet.DeputyPublicProsecutorSenthilkumaranSabapathysoughtfourweeks'jailforZainal,statingthatitwasaggravatingthathehadusedamaskedidentity.MarriedtoaChinesewoman,sonofmixedraceInmitigation,Zainal’slawyerSunilSudheesansoughtathree-weekjailtermforhisclient.Hesaidhisclientwasobviously“notaracist”butusedtheaccountasa“parodyaccount”.Unfortunately,peopledidnotknowtheintentionofcertaintweetsandforwardedthemwithouttheintentionofZainal,saidthelawyer.HesaidZainalwas“verysorry”forthisand“shouldhaveanticipatedthis”.Hewithdrewthemostserioustweetafter20minutes,saidthelawyer,describinghisclientasa“goodman”andaskingforthejudgetobemerciful.SunilpointedoutthatZainalwasmarriedtoaChinesewoman,andtheirsonwasofmixed-race.Apartfromhavingraciallydiversefriends,Zainalalsoheadedaraciallydiverseteamandvaluedracialandculturaldiversity,saidSunil,whoaddedthathisclientwantedtoraisehissoninaninclusiveenvironment.DistrictJudgeJenniferMariesaidthatoffendersmustrealisecallousandoffensiveremarksonlinehadthepotentialtocausedisorder,harmingthepeaceandharmonyinSingapore.Zainalcouldhavebeenjaileduptothreeyearsandgivenafine,orboth.MoreSingaporenews:Stayintheknowon-the-go:JoinYahooSingapore'sTelegramchannelatt.me/YahooSingaporeRelatedstoryMalaymansuspectedtobebehind'SharonLiew'racisttweetschargedincourtYahooNewsSingaporeLohKeanYewreturnstowinningways,beatingChineserivalatJapanOpenYahooNewsSingapore·1-minreadYahooNewsSingaporeJosephSchoolingcaughtforcannabisconsumptiontogetherwithswimmerAmandaLimYahooNewsSingapore·3-minreadAFPNewsChinaarrestshundredsoverbankingscandalthatsparkedrareprotestsAFPNews·1-minreadYahooNewsSingapore‘Gracious’SingaporeanswillsupportJosephSchooling,AmandaLim:ShanmugamYahooNewsSingapore·2-minreadAFPNewsChinaimposesCovid-19lockdownsformillionsaroundBeijingAFPNews·2-minreadOurgoalistocreateasafeandengagingplaceforuserstoconnectoverinterestsandpassions.Inordertoimproveourcommunityexperience,wearetemporarilysuspendingarticlecommentingYahooNewsSingaporeHugoBosssayspartnershipwithbrandambassadorJosephSchoolingremains'strong'Whiletheswimmingstarhasmadeamistake,hehastakenownershipofit,HugoBosssaid.6hoursagoReutersINSTANTVIEW2-India'seconomygrows13.5%y/yinApril-JuneqtrEconomistsinaReuterspollhadforecastgrossdomesticproductinAsia'sthird-largesteconomywouldgrow15.2%year-on-yearintheApril-Junequarter,comparedwith4.1%inthepreviousquarter."ThestrongJune-quarterrealGDPgrowthprintof13.5%(albeitslightlylowerthanourexpectationof15.0%)isessentiallyareflectionofaratherlowstatisticalbaseeffectandalsoareflectionofpent-updemandfollowingtheexitfromtheOmicronwaveduringtheMarchquarter."8hoursagoAFPNewsFivethingstoknowaboutChina'sCommunistPartyCongressChina'sCommunistPartywillonOctober16openits20thPartyCongress,itsmostimportantpoliticalmeetingthatisheldonceeveryfiveyears.adayagoAFPNewsUNtoreleaseXinjiangrightsreportwithinhoursTheUNrightschiefwillreleasealong-awaitedreportonallegedviolationsinChina'sXinjiangregionbeforeleavingofficelaterWednesday,despiteintensepressurefromBeijingnottopublishtheassessmentatall.10hoursagoYahooGamingSEASumeru'svibrantwildlifemakesitGenshinImpact'sbest-designedregionyetTheregion'ssprawlingrainforestsareteemingwithamysticalqualitywhereeverythingseemstoliveandbreathe.Here'swhatweexperienced.5hoursagoAFPNewsIAEAwants'permanentpresence'atRussia-heldnuclearplantUNinspectorssaidWednesdaytheywouldseektoestablishapermanentpresenceataRussian-heldplantinsouthernUkrainetoavoid"anuclearaccident"atthefacilityonthefrontlineofthefighting.15hoursagoTheGuardianLordRadiceobituaryLabourMPandauthorwhopavedthewayforTonyBlairbyarguingthatthepartyneededtoadapttoachangingsocietyGilesRadicein2010.Despitenotattaininggovernmentoffice,heservedasadistinguishedchairmanoftheTreasuryselectcommittee.Photograph:MurdoMacleod/TheGuardianadayagoYahooNewsSingaporeJurongBirdParktocloseon3JanuaryaheadofmovetoMandaiJurongBirdParkwillbeclosingforgoodafterwelcomingitsfinalguestson3January,asitsavianexhibitsandstaffpreparetomovetotheirnewhomeinMandai.2daysagoAFPNewsWarinUkraine:latestdevelopmentsHerearethelatestdevelopmentsinthewarinUkraine:adayagoAFPNewsWorldhails'one-of-a-kind'ex-SovietleaderGorbachevMikhailGorbachev,thelastleaderoftheSovietUnionwhoplayedamajorroleinendingtheColdWar,diedinMoscowonTuesdayaged91.22hoursagoReutersIndiantradersjumpthegunwithsugarexportdealsIndiantradershavesigneddealstoexport300,000tonnesofrawsugarinthecomingseasonasadvantageousmarketconditionscountertheriskofagreeingcontractsbeforeIndiaannouncesits2022/23exportpolicy,tradesourcessaid.Thegovernmentimposedrestrictionsonoverseassugarsalesforthefirsttimeinsixyearswhenitcappedexportsat11.2milliontonnes2021/22marketingyearendingSept.30topreventasurgeindomesticpricesaftermillssoldrecordvolumesontheglobalmarket.ExportsfromIndia,theworld'sbiggestproducerofsugar,couldweighonglobalpricesbutaugmentsuppliesacrossAsia.adayagoAFPNewsMikhailGorbachev,lastSovietleader,deadat91MikhailGorbachev,thelastleaderoftheSovietUnion,hasdiedinMoscowaged91,RussiannewsagenciesreportedonTuesday.23hoursagoAFPNewsLastmemberofBrazilianindigenouscommunityfounddeadThelastofhispeople,aBrazilianindigenousmanknownonlyas"themanofthehole"hasbeenfounddead,decadesaftertherestofhisuncontactedtribewerekilledoffbyranchersandillegalminers,officialssaid.2daysagoAFPNewsMadagascarpoliceconfirmkilling19civiliansafteralbinokidnapMadagascarpoliceconfirmedTuesdaythatofficerskilled19peopleandinjured21othersafteropeningfireonwhatwasdescribedasalynchmobangeredoverthekidnappingofanalbinochild.adayagoAFPNewsUKcostoflivingcrisisseessurgeinpetabandonments:charityTheUK'sleadinganimalcharityonTuesdayblamedspirallingcostsandthehugeupsurgeinpetownershipduringthepandemicfora24-percentriseinpetabandonmentsthisyear.adayagoYahooGamingSEALeagueofLegends:UdyrgetsahotfixtoaddressdismalwinratesdespitereworkWhileUdyr’spreviewvideohavehypedsomany,hisreleasewasentirelydifferent.Here'swhatRiotisdoingtoaddressthat.adayagoYahooNewsSingaporeJosephSchoolingcaughtforcannabisconsumptiontogetherwithswimmerAmandaLimSingapore'sonlyOlympicgoldmedallistJosephSchoolingandfellownationalswimmerAmandaLimhavebeeninvestigatedbytheCentralNarcoticsBureauforpossibleoffencesrelatedtotheconsumptionofcannabis.adayagoYahooNewsSingaporeLosstotop10scamtypessurged60%to$227.8millionin1H:SingaporepoliceJobscams,phishingscams,e-commercescamsandinvestmentscamscomprised75%ofthetop10scamtypesinthefirsthalfof2022.adayagoTheIndependentCrimesagainstwomeninIndiaup15%in2021asDelhiremainsthemostunsafecityDomesticviolencecasesaccountedforgreatestnumberofsuchcrimesadayagoAFPNewsPakistanfloodsfuel'back-breaking'foodinflationCatastrophicmonsoonfloodsinPakistanhavesentfoodpricesskyrocketing,puttingmanystaplesoutofthereachofthepoorasthecash-strappednationbattlesshortages.2daysagoMorestories