PETALING JAYA, Sept 2 — A Malay Mail editor was charged in the Sessions Court here today with publishing false information, in what his lawyer said was the first time someone was being prosecuted for a satirical blog post.

Irwan Abdul Rahman, better known as blogger “Hassan Skodeng,” is accused of publishing the article “TNB to sue WWF over earth hour” earlier this year.

He is charged with committing the offence on March 25, between 6pm and 7pm at Dataran 3 Dua in Jalan 19/1 here.

Irwan (picture) is accused of sending false comments in the article on the blog nose4news.wordpress.com with the intention to offend others.

His blog is said to be modelled on The 0nion, an American news satire organisation which publishes the entertainment newspaper and a website.

He is charged under section 233 (1) (a) Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) Act.

If convicted, he can be fined up to RM50,000 or jailed up to a year, or both.

Irwan told reporters that he removed the article about two days after the post after a sudden increase in traffic to his blog.

“I saw the report from TNB to SKNM (Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission) and realised that it was serious,” he said before going to the police.

The executive editor for lifestyle entertainment is also a cartoonist and a columnist for the Malay Mail.

Judge Hayatul Akmal Abdul Aziz set bail at RM 4,000.

The case has been fixed for mention on November 24.