Umno Youth chief Datuk Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh filed a judicial review application on February 27, 2026, at the Penang High Court to challenge the Attorney-General's decision to prosecute him under Section 505(b) of the Penal Code for a Facebook post alleged to cause public fear [1, 2, 3, 4].
The charge relates to a post dated August 11, 2025, and was filed on August 22, 2025, at the Bukit Mertajam Magistrate's Court. Dr Akmal pleaded not guilty to the allegations [1, 2, 3, 4]. The maximum penalty under Section 505(b) carries up to two years imprisonment, a fine, or both [3, 4].
Dr Akmal's legal team asserts that the judicial review raises concerns of selective prosecution and inconsistent treatment compared with similar cases, potentially breaching Article 8 of the Federal Constitution, which guarantees equality before the law [1, 2, 3, 4]. His lawyers stressed the constitutional protection of freedom of expression must be balanced within legal limits.
"This application is not merely about one individual, but about the principle that justice must not only be done, but must be seen to be done equally for all Malaysians without exception," his lawyers said. They added the case "raises a larger question on the country's criminal prosecution system and the need for prosecutorial powers to be exercised fairly, consistently and free from any form of discrimination or perception of political influence." They further warned that such perceptions "could erode public confidence in the principle of justice, which forms the foundation of the country's legal system" [1].
The hearing for the judicial review application is scheduled for June 16, 2026, at the Penang High Court [1, 2, 3, 4].
