KUALA LUMPUR, June 11 — DAP chairman Karpal Singh, who turns 70 on June 28, received an early birthday gift today when the High Court here cleared him of sedition without his defence being called.
Karpal was charged with sedition last year for saying the Sultan of Perak could be taken to court over the removal of Datuk Seri Nizar Jamaluddin as the mentri besar.
The veteran lawyer was accused of committing the crime during a press conference at his law firm here on February 6.
The High Court here found the prosecution had failed to prove it had a case against him.
“Justice has prevailed,” the bearded Bukit Gelugor MP told reporters outside the courtroom.
His family and fellow DAP lawmakers surrounding him punched the air with their fists as they echoed the cry.
“What was proven was the anger and hatred towards the accused, not anger and hatred towards His Royal Highness the Sultan of Perak,” judge Azman Abdullah pointed out in his decision today.
The prosecution had brought a total of 19 witnesses to testify in court.
Justice Azman also noted that the news reporters and police involved in the investigation did not understand English and the meaning of sedition.
The law defines sedition as any act that results in causing hatred or tendencies to hate, insult and be disloyal to the ruler.
A reporter with a Malay-language daily, who had served as a witness during Karpal’s trial, had told the court the word “ultra vires” means “to insult”.
Deputy public prosecutor Noorin Badaruddin was unsure if the prosecution would appeal against today’s verdict.
She said she had not received any instructions to do so yet.
Karpal was charged with sedition last year for saying the Sultan of Perak could be taken to court over the removal of Datuk Seri Nizar Jamaluddin as the mentri besar.
The veteran lawyer was accused of committing the crime during a press conference at his law firm here on February 6.
The High Court here found the prosecution had failed to prove it had a case against him.
“Justice has prevailed,” the bearded Bukit Gelugor MP told reporters outside the courtroom.
His family and fellow DAP lawmakers surrounding him punched the air with their fists as they echoed the cry.
“What was proven was the anger and hatred towards the accused, not anger and hatred towards His Royal Highness the Sultan of Perak,” judge Azman Abdullah pointed out in his decision today.
The prosecution had brought a total of 19 witnesses to testify in court.
Justice Azman also noted that the news reporters and police involved in the investigation did not understand English and the meaning of sedition.
The law defines sedition as any act that results in causing hatred or tendencies to hate, insult and be disloyal to the ruler.
A reporter with a Malay-language daily, who had served as a witness during Karpal’s trial, had told the court the word “ultra vires” means “to insult”.
Deputy public prosecutor Noorin Badaruddin was unsure if the prosecution would appeal against today’s verdict.
She said she had not received any instructions to do so yet.
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