A FEMALE PHOTOGRAPHER has called out her stalker on her social media platforms detailing the harrowing tale of being harassed for nearly eight years.
On May 31 this year, the anti-stalking law came into effect, punishing the perpetrators with imprisonment for up to three years. Under the new Section 507A of the Penal Code, stalking is defined as a repeated act of harassment intended to or likely cause distress, alarm or fear to anyone’s safety.
Unfortunately for Acacia Diana, such laws were not in effect back then in Malaysia to protect her from her stalker and harasser, Mohamad Shafiq Rosli who began sending her messages online as early as 2016, according to her post on Twitter and on her Instagram stories and posts dishing out her ordeal.
“He is delusionally convinced that we are in a relationship and that I am surrounded by bad people. He interprets everything I do, every single post that even has nothing to do with him, as a sign that I am communicating with him.
“This has been going on for years and I have all of the sickening evidence. I am willing to share every single one,” Acacia said in an Instagram post.
Throughout the cruel period of stalking and harassment, Acacia had to block over 36 of the man’s Instagram accounts and around four of his Twitter accounts that he not only used to send her messages but also disturb others whom she interacted with, limiting her engagement on social media.
She had also lodged a police report in 2018 after completing her studies in the United Kingdom but was told that they could not help her case as she was not ‘physically threatened’ and due to certain laws not in effect in regards to the issue.
“In 2016, I had a blog called Advenshatime. I used to write about some of my travels and projects. One day, I (received some) notifications on weird comments on my posts. This person’s username was sopert. I have never met this person let alone know who they were. so I ignored (the messages).
“In 2017, I (received) an e-mail from sopert@terminal inviting me to collaborate on some project. I replied politely that I was not interested. This was the first time I replied and refused to talk to him,” she said, recounting her first interaction with Shafiq.
Acacia’s nightmare only got started from there on when Shafiq began to send another e-mail from a different e-mail address and thus began his ‘pattern’ of creating additional accounts to ‘disturb’ her.
Throughout the cruel period of stalking and harassment, Acacia had to block over 36 of the man’s Instagram accounts and around four of his Twitter accounts that he not only used to send her messages but also disturb others whom she interacted with, limiting her engagement on social media.
She had also lodged a police report in 2018 after completing her studies in the United Kingdom but was told that they could not help her case as she was not ‘physically threatened’ and due to certain laws not in effect in regards to the issue.
“In 2016, I had a blog called Advenshatime. I used to write about some of my travels and projects. One day, I (received some) notifications on weird comments on my posts. This person’s username was sopert. I have never met this person let alone know who they were. so I ignored (the messages).
“In 2017, I (received) an e-mail from sopert@terminal inviting me to collaborate on some project. I replied politely that I was not interested. This was the first time I replied and refused to talk to him,” she said, recounting her first interaction with Shafiq.
Acacia’s nightmare only got started from there on when Shafiq began to send another e-mail from a different e-mail address and thus began his ‘pattern’ of creating additional accounts to ‘disturb’ her.
In the mound of evidence provided in the form of screenshots, Shafiq’s messages to Acacia was him mainly expressing his admiration but became obsessive as he spoke to her intimately, declaring his love for her, which disturbed the poor young woman.
Over the course of the eight years Acacia was stalked and harassed, the perpetrator had physically stalked her in Malaysia and England three times.
The first time he stalked her was at a restaurant in 2017 when she was with a friend. He came up to and started complimenting her work to which she politely thanked him but also told him to leave her alone. In the same year, he found her house address while she was studying in England and was informed of his visit by her family.
The second time she encountered him in the flesh was during a work event in 2019 but he quickly left. In an Instagram post, she said that she spotted Shafiq in the UK this year, not specifying when the encounter took place, however, he was arrested and is facing legal action but fled before the court date.
The stalker’s sister had also approached Acacia after stumbling across the photographer’s post on Twitter and confirmed that the stalker was indeed her brother but to no avail, she was not helping Acacia out in her dire situation. Additionally, Shafiq’s family only told her that ‘they are handling it’ after liaising with them numerous times regarding his actions.
In 2020, when she was in a relationship, her pleas went ignored by Shafiq after being bombarded by his constant messages online which prompted her to remove herself from her social media platforms. It took a significant toll on her following, engagement and work since she utilises her platforms to post her works.
She also received a disturbing gift in 2021 consisting of a bouquet of flowers which she immediately disposed of. Not only that, Shafiq also sent her a drawing of herself with the words ‘I need you baby’ written at the back accompanied with a couple of blood droplets.
This year, the perpetrator’s harassment escalated to sending her sexually explicit content through messaging platforms on social media.
“Today I am really done staying patient about this. He should not be allowed to exist like this in society,” she wrote in her post.
Meanwhile, NST reported that the police were looking into the matter, according to Deputy Inspector General of Police Datuk Seri Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay.
Not only that, Communications and Digital Minister Fahmi Fadzil also commented under her Instagram post to send him the necessary details including the police report to his email address to ‘follow up with her case.’
