Karpal files appeal over ruling on sedition charge
BernamaPublished: Jan 25, 2012 7:24 PM | Updated: Jan 26, 2012 8:43 AM
Lawyer Karpal Singh today filed a notice of appeal over the Appellate Court’s ruling ordering him to enter his defence on a charge of uttering seditious words against Sultan Azlan Shah of Perak during a press conference in 2009.
'The notice of appeal was filed at the Court of Appeal’s Registry in Putrajaya, this morning,' he said at the Jalan Duta Court Complex in Kuala Lumpur.
Lawyer Karpal Singh today filed a notice of appeal over the Appellate Court’s ruling ordering him to enter his defence on a charge of uttering seditious words against Sultan Azlan Shah of Perak during a press conference in 2009.
“The notice of appeal was filed at the Court of Appeal’s Registry in Putrajaya, this morning,” he said when met by reporters at the Jalan Duta Court Complex in Kuala Lumpur.
He said the appeal was brought to the Federal Court, among others, on the grounds that the Court of Appeal judges had gone beyond what they had to do and there was misdirection by the judges in coming to the ruling.
On Jan 20, Court of Appeal judges chaired by Federal Court judge Ahmad Ma’arop unanimously allowed the prosecution's appeal to set aside the High Court’s decision to acquit and discharge the DAP national chairperson on the sedition charge at the end of the prosecution’s case without ordering him to make his defence.
Justice Ahmad, who was presiding the appeal with Court of Appeal judges Clement Allan Skinner and Mohamed Apandi Ali, ruled that the prosecution had proven a prima facie case against Karpal.
Justice Ahmad, who took more than two hours reading out the judgment, said that what Karpal uttered at the press conference was dissatisfaction and discontent with the sultan of Perak.
He said Karpal’s statement had affected the esteem of the sultan and also resulted in a clash of civilisations between the relationship of the people and its ruler.
On June 11, 2010, Karpal was acquitted by the High Court on the charge of uttering seditious words against the sultan of Perak at his legal firm in Jalan Pudu Lama in Kuala Lumpur, between noon and 12.30pm on Feb 6, 2009.
He was alleged to have said that the removal of Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin as menteri besar of Perak by the sultan could be questioned in a court of law.
Karpal was charged under section 4(1)(b) of the Sedition Act that carries a maximum RM5,000 fine or three years’ jail, or both if convicted.
- Bernama
“The notice of appeal was filed at the Court of Appeal’s Registry in Putrajaya, this morning,” he said when met by reporters at the Jalan Duta Court Complex in Kuala Lumpur.
He said the appeal was brought to the Federal Court, among others, on the grounds that the Court of Appeal judges had gone beyond what they had to do and there was misdirection by the judges in coming to the ruling.
On Jan 20, Court of Appeal judges chaired by Federal Court judge Ahmad Ma’arop unanimously allowed the prosecution's appeal to set aside the High Court’s decision to acquit and discharge the DAP national chairperson on the sedition charge at the end of the prosecution’s case without ordering him to make his defence.
Justice Ahmad, who was presiding the appeal with Court of Appeal judges Clement Allan Skinner and Mohamed Apandi Ali, ruled that the prosecution had proven a prima facie case against Karpal.
Justice Ahmad, who took more than two hours reading out the judgment, said that what Karpal uttered at the press conference was dissatisfaction and discontent with the sultan of Perak.
He said Karpal’s statement had affected the esteem of the sultan and also resulted in a clash of civilisations between the relationship of the people and its ruler.
On June 11, 2010, Karpal was acquitted by the High Court on the charge of uttering seditious words against the sultan of Perak at his legal firm in Jalan Pudu Lama in Kuala Lumpur, between noon and 12.30pm on Feb 6, 2009.
He was alleged to have said that the removal of Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin as menteri besar of Perak by the sultan could be questioned in a court of law.
Karpal was charged under section 4(1)(b) of the Sedition Act that carries a maximum RM5,000 fine or three years’ jail, or both if convicted.
- Bernama
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