Mariyah Yaakob, 48, a single mother of three, pleaded guilty and paid the fine at the Melaka sessions court.

She was accused of making a statement on Nov 16 last year with the intent to incite Malay people into committing offences against people from other communities. The charge carries a maximum penalty of imprisonment of up to two years, or a fine or both on conviction.

In the video, which was widely shared on social media, Mariyah claimed that Cambodians were more clever and hardworking than “lazy Malays”. However, she apologised at the end of the video, saying she was only joking.

She had claimed to be from Cambodia and had lived in Malaysia for a long time.

Her son Ezuan Hafsham Hisyam, 23, who pleaded guilty to making and posting the video of his mother, was released on a good behaviour bond of RM10,000 as he is furthering his studies at the University of Reading in Britain.

The charge against Ezuan under the Communications and Multimedia Act carries a maximum penalty of a year’s jail, RM50,000 fine or both, and a fine of RM1,000 for every day the offence is continued after conviction.

Melaka prosecution director Ahmad Sazali Omar called for appropriate sentences on the two accused as their offences had seriously touched on issues of race, religion and royalty.

Although they had apologised to Malaysians on social media, there was no reason to lighten their sentence.

Kamal Hisham Jaafar, who represented both the mother and son, argued that their apology on social media demonstrated that they were genuinely remorseful and would not repeat their actions.