Bukit Gelugor MP and DAP stalwart Karpal Singh was found guilty by the High Court today of making seditious remarks against Sultan Azlan Shah of Perak concerning the removal of then Perak Menteri Besar Mohammad Nizar Jamaludin in 2009.
The decision was pssed by Justice Azman Abdullah. Mitigation for sentincing has been set to March 7 to allow time for defence attorneys to produce Karpal’s medical report.
Karpal, 74, can be jailed for not more than five years or fined no more than RM5,000, or both. If this sentence is passed, he will automatically lose his parliamentary seat.
Karpal said he would appeal the decision within two weeks. He said, “We accept the court decision at this stage and I will appeal.”
Despite the sombre mood outside the courtroom, Karpal was nonetheless surrounded by a crowd of dozens of DAP supporters wearing the party’s t-shirts, and ranking members of the Pakatan Rakyat coalition. They include PKR president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang, Penang Chief Minister Lim Guang Eng, Selangor Legislative Assembly Speaker Hannah Yeoh, and Karpal’s son, counsel and Puchong MP Gobind Singh Deo.
Karpal was charged for a statement he made at a presss conference at his law firm in Jalan Pudu Lama, Kuala Lumpur on Feb 6 2009. He said in the statement that the Sultan of Perak’s decision to remove Nizar from office could be challenged in court.
Karpal was originally acquitted of the charge by the High Court in 2010, without his defence being called.
The acquitttal was overturned by the Court of Appeal in 2012, leading to his current suit.
Mohammad Nizar, of PAS and Pakatan Rakyat, was remoced from the office of Perak Menteri Besar follwing the resignation of three Pakatan Rakyat assemblypersons after the 2008 General Elections, triggering a constitutional crisis in the state and opening the way for BN to retake Perak.
Nizar failed to remain MB after the Federal Court ruled against his application in 2010.
To replace Nizar, Sultan Azlan Shah appointed Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir of UMNO and BN, now serving his second term as Perak MB.
Source: Malaysiakini
