The Penang assemblyman whose remark “celaka UMNO” made headlines nationwide and sparked angry protests from UMNO party members and Malay rights activists alike, has been arrested for sedition.
Seri Delima state assemblyman RSN Rayer of the DAP was taken into detention at the George Town district police headquarters in Patani Road, at around 3.30pm today.
After receiving a phone call asking him to give himself up, Rayer arrived at the police station accompanied by former state assemblyman S Raveentharan to surrender, The Malay Mail Online‘s Opalyn Mok reports.
George Town district police chief ACP Mior Farid Alathrash said Rayer would be charged under the Sedition Act at the Sessions Court tomorrow.
“He will be charged for uttering seditious words at the state legislative assembly last month,” he said.
The “seditious words” in question are believed to be Rayer’s “celaka UMNO” remark, uttered during a sitting of the state assembly last month.
ACP Mior Farid said there is no immunity for assemblymen who make seditious remarks that could incite racial hatred, even though the words are uttered inside the august hall.
He added that the 14 men who intruded into the state legislative assembly on May 21 will also be charged tomorrow.
“The 14 men will be charged under Section 448 of the Penal Code for trespassing at the magistrate’s court tomorrow,” he said.
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Photo: KE Ooi / The Malay Mail
