Bukit Gelugor member of parliament Karpal Singh was charged with sedition in Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court this morning in relation to his threat to sue the Perak ruler over the political crisis in the state.
The prosecution claimed that Karpal had committed the offence on Feb 6, from 12 noon to 12.30pm, at his legal office in Jalan Pudu Ulu in Kuala Lumpur.
Karpal pleaded not guilty before judge Mohamad Sekeri Mamat. He was released on a RM2,000 bail with one guarantor.
He was charged under Section 4(1) of the Sedition Act and faces a maximum jail sentence of three years or a RM5,000 fine or both if found guilty.
Subsequent offences are punishable with a maximum jail sentence of five years.
Karpal, who is wheelchair-bound, was represented by 13 lawyers, including himself and his four children.
The prosecution was done by deputy public prosecutors Kamaludin Mohd Said and Hanafiah Zakaria.
Case tranferred to High Court
The prosecution also applied to the court to transfer the case to the High Court, to which Karpal agreed.
Karpal earlier arrived at the court at about 9.15am with his family members. The court started its session at 10.24am.
Also present to give support were fellow DAP leaders including Lim Kit Siang, Lim Guan Eng and Teresa Kok. PKR leader Anwar Ibrahim was also present.
Speaking to reporters before entering the court, Karpal said he was not worried of being charged with sedition.
"I have been in politics for 40 years and I have been in courts before," he said.
"It is part of our job as MPs to speak without fear or favour, in the event of being victimised by the government, we will stand up to it in court."
He added that whatever he had said in regards to his intention to sue Sultan Azlan Shah was done in line with legal principles.
Anwar: Gov't going on a witch-hunt
Karpal's criticism came after Sultan Azlan Shah ordered the state government in Perak to quit after defections from the ruling Pakatan Rakyat - of which the DAP is a part - upset the delicate balance of power.
The sedition charge refers to comments Karpal made in February when he allegedly questioned the sultan's right to appoint a new state leader, and threatened to sue him over the move.
Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim said the prosecution was part of a government vendetta.
"I believe they will go on a witch-hunt against the opposition leaders," he told reporters.
"It's a malicious prosecution. Karpal was giving his legal opinion to be considered by Pakatan leaders. If a lawyer gives his opinion why do you charge him for that?"
The charges come just a day after Karpal's son Gobind Singh Deo, also a DAP lawmaker, was suspended from parliament for one year after a heated parliamentary debate in which he accused deputy premier Najib Razak of complicity in a sensational murder case.
17/03/09
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