On July 5, the ugly side of cyberbullying reared its head when local TikToker Rajeswary Appahu, also known as Esha, ended her own life after enduring vicious verbal insults online.
After a huge outcry over her death was sparked across the country, the authorities quickly moved to apprehend those allegedly involved in the tragedy, two of which were charged in court yesterday (Jul 16).
One of them was Shalini Periasamy, who was fined a paltry RM100 after she pleaded guilty to making insulting remarks through her TikTok account, @alphaquinnsha, under Section 14 of the Minor Offences Act 1955.
Esha’s mum upset by RM100 fine
Unsurprisingly, seeing the person who had a role in causing her daughter’s death getting a slap on the wrist didn’t sit well with Esha’s mother R Puspa, who gave her thoughts about Shalini’s punishment in a tearful TikTok video.
In the TikTok clip shared by BuletinTV3, it showed a rather distraught Puspa fighting to hold back her tears while speaking about the verdict.
Calling the RM100 fine imposed on Shalini “unacceptable” and “disappointing”, Puspa said she fears others might face the same fate she did with their own children in the future.
I’m also surprised, only RM100. This time, it’s me. Next time, who will be the victim? Whose child is going to be the victim? I don’t know, only God knows. That’s the only thing that’s making my heart break.
‘Justice wasn’t served’
Aside from Puspa, many Malaysians also felt that the RM100 fine imposed on Shalini made a mockery of the tragedy and was a great injustice to the family.
‘She (Shalini) pleaded guilty but only gets fined RM100? My neighbour gets fined RM500 if someone reports him for littering!’
‘Only a RM100 fine, who can accept it?’
Others also called Shalini out for her apparent lack of remorse for her role in the tragedy, where she was seen wearing a smirk on her face throughout the trial.
Read about the events that led to Esha’s death here:
