KUALA LUMPUR: Four Pakatan politicians and activists were charged with sedition this morning at the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court.
PKR vice-president Tian Chua, PAS leader Tamrin Ghafar, Anything But Umno (ABU) activist Haris Ibrahim and Solidariti Mahasiswa Malaysia president Safwan Anang were charged with uttering seditious words during a May 13 forum.
They were accused of committing the offences at the Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall in Jalan Maharaja Lela here between 8.55pm and 11.15pm on May 13.
Judge Norsharidah Awang granted bail at RM5,000 each and set July 2 for mention.
The accused faces up to three years’ jail each, fine of up to RM5,000 or both under Section 4(1)(b) of the Sedition Act 1948.
Lawyers representing the four told the court that they would be filing applications to strike out the case in the High Court on grounds that the proceedings were an abuse of process, selective prosecution and unconstitutional.
“It is an abuse of court process, selective persecution, and unconstitutional. We will apply to the High Court to strike out,” said Surendran.
The lawyers also highlighted that the police had not returned the handphones belonging to Tian Chua, Tamrin and Haris.
To this, deputy public prosecutor Abazafree Abbas assured the court that the phones would be returned by tomorrow, the latest.
Abazafree, assisted by Nadia Ali and Kee Wei Loon, prosecuted while a large team of lawyers appeared for the four defendants.
Tian Chua was represented by N Surendran and Yew Shin Lin. Safwan and Tamrin were defended by Ariff Azami, Radzi Mustafa and Mohd Fiqah.
Haris had seven lawyers appearing for him, led by Gobind Singh Deo and Malik Imtiaz Sarwar.
K Pragalath
Free Malaysia Today