A 22-year-old Malaysian influencer, CEO Batu, saw his career impacted after making headlines in May for allegedly sexually assaulting a 13-year-old girl by sending her images of his genitals.
A day after pleading not guilty to the charge, CEO Batu faced an additional charge for possessing pornographic materials on his phone, to which he also pleaded not guilty. Despite these charges, a Malaysian singer shared his thoughts on CEO Batu’s personality, urging others not to judge a book by its cover.
Singer Hanifah Muhammad Hanafiah, better known by his stage name Black Hanifah, said that as someone who knows CEO Batu personally, he finds him to be polite and consistently grateful.
“Yes, he looks fierce and intimidating, but he is polite and always says thank you to others.”
However, Hanifah declined to comment further on the charges, stating that he was not familiar with the details of the case. He did, however, offer a reminder to fellow influencers:
“Preserve your image. Take care of yourself and don’t let your actions ruin the credibility you’ve built over the years.”
“In the meantime, I hope the authorities investigate the matter thoroughly,” he added during a press conference for his Hanifah’s Exclusive Night Nyawa Black concert held at the Grand Premier Hall, Bukit Jelutong, Shah Alam yesterday (July 11).
CEO Batu also requested a reduced bail, citing that his monthly income of RM3,000 as an influencer had been affected by the case and that he had an elderly family member to care for at home.
