Karpal wants sedition charge to be reconsidered

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KUALA LUMPUR: Lawyer Karpal Singh wants the Attorney-General’s Chamber (AGC) to reconsider the sedition charge against him following the Prime Minister’s announcement to repeal the Sedition Act of 1948.

Karpal was charged with uttering seditious words against the Sultan of Perak, three years ago.

Jagdeep Singh Deo, who represented Karpal, informed High Court Judge Azman Abdullah that the defence had submitted a letter of representation to the AGC this morning to reconsider the charge against Karpal.

He said the defence wanted the AGC to re-consider the consent issue to prosecute Karpal under Section 5 of the Sedition Act in light of Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak’s announcement to repeal the same.

On July 11, the Prime Minister had announced the repeal of the Sedition Act and its replacement with the proposed National Harmony Act.

The court was scheduled to hear Karpal’s application to strike out the sedition charge yesterday.

“We apply for a short date to await the AGC’s response on the representation,” said Jagdeep.

Justice Azman granted the postponement as there was a basis to the application and set Aug 3 to hear Karpal’s application, depending on the representation’s outcome.

Deputy public prosecutors Noorin Badaruddin and Azlina Rasdi prosecuted.

Met outside courtroom, Karpal told reporters that there was no longer a basis to prosecute him following Najib’s announcement.

On Jan 20, the Court of Appeal unanimously ordered Karpal Singh to enter his defence on a charge of uttering seditious words against Sultan Azlan Shah of Perak during a press conference at his legal firm in Jalan Pudu Lama here, between noon and 12.30pm on Feb 6, 2009.

The panel led by Justice Datuk Ahmad Ma’arop, with justices Datuk Clement Allan Skinner and Datuk Seri Mohamed Apandi Ali, had set aside the Kuala Lumpur High Court’s decision on June 11, 2010 to acquit and discharge Karpal Singh without calling for his defence.

He was alleged to have said that the removal of Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin as menteri besar of Perak by the sultan could be questioned in a court of law.

The charge under section 4(1)(b) of the Sedition Act carries a maximum fine of RM5,000 or three years jail, or both, if convicted. — Bernama