Veteran lawyer and Democratic Action Party (DAP) icon Karpal Singh might be facing jail time for his sedition conviction, after prosecutors filed a cross appeal urging the court to impose a stiffer penalty on him.
Karpal was found guilty of sedition on February 21 this year, over his remarks on the Sultan of Perak’s role in the 2009 state constitutional crisis. He was fined RM4,000 by the Kuala Lumpur High Court on March 11.
He told The Malaysian Insider yesterday that he received a copy of the notice of appeal filed by the prosecution, urging the Court of Appeal to enhance the sentence.
“They want me in jail,” said Karpal, who stepped down as DAP chairman following the conviction and sentence last month.
73-year old Karpal told TMI that the Court of Appeal could impose the maximum fine of RM5,000 or sentence him to prison, the maximum term of which is three years.
A sedition conviction may carry with it a punishment of a fine, imprisonment, or both.
Karpal had earlier filed appeals against both the conviction and the sentence.
Karpal is at risk of losing his Bukit Gelugor parliamentary seat following the sentencing. Malaysia’s Federal Constitution disqualifies any lawmaker receiving a fine of RM2,000 or more from holding public office or remaining an elected representative.
See Also: Karpal Singh guilty of sedition against Sultan of Perak; Karpal Singh fined RM4000 for sedition, might lose Parliament seat
Story: The Malaysian Insider
