Last year, the case of a former Astro employee, Nora Idayu Jaafar, went viral when she was brought to court on charges of altering 743 customer accounts to provide free service access. Yesterday, the Kuala Lumpur sessions court sentenced her to 4 years in prison after she pleaded guilty to altering the broadcasting company's customer data system without permission under Section 5(1) of the Computer Crimes Act 1997.
Astro's customer database was altered by her between 2013 and 2020. The altered accounts received corporate status which allowed them to be accessed for free. The accused started working at Astro in 2003, but was involved in this offence after getting married in 2013. Extreme domestic pressure and financial problems caused by her ex-husband, a gambler, led her to commit this offence.
Last year, the trial had to be adjourned because the accused collapsed after the 30th charge was read out against her. The accused was then referred to the Ulu Kinta Bahagia Hospital for 30 days to undergo psychiatric observation.
