KEDAH MB FREED OF SEDITION CHARGE OVER REMARKS ABOUT SULTAN OF SELANGOR

SHAH ALAM, Dec 10 (Bernama) -- The High Court here today acquitted and discharged Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor of a sedition charge over remarks about the Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah.

Judge Datuk Aslam Zainuddin delivered the ruling after deputy public prosecutor Datuk Masri Mohd Daud informed the court that the prosecution did not intend to proceed with the first charge against the Jeneri state assemblyman and sought to withdraw it.

“For this charge, the prosecution wishes to withdraw and discontinue the case, and requests for a discharge not amounting to an acquittal (DNAA),” said Masri.

However, the second charge of uttering seditious remarks against Sultan of Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah, who was the Yang di-Pertuan Agong at the time, will proceed to trial from Feb 24 to 28 next year.

Judge Datuk Aslam then ruled that the accused be acquitted and discharged from the first charge, as applied for by Muhammad Sanusi's lawyer, Awang Armadajaya Awang Mahmud.

“For the first charge, the accused in this case is acquitted and discharged, while the trial for the second charge will proceed from Feb 24 to 28, 2025,” he said.

Earlier, Awang Armadajaya objected to the prosecution's request for Muhammad Sanusi to be discharged without being acquitted.

“According to one doctrine ... nothing should hang over someone without a final resolution. Based on this and considering that the prosecution will not proceed with the case, I request for my client to be discharged and acquitted (for the first charge).

“As for the second charge, I request a trial date so we can resolve the matter, present evidence and do what is necessary as the defence team,” he said.

In earlier proceedings, Awang Armadajaya had requested for the charges against his client to be withdrawn after the Sultan of Selangor graciously accepted the Kedah Menteri Besar's apology.

Lawyer Datuk Seri Salehuddin Saidin, who was holding a watching brief for the Sultan of Selangor, confirmed the written response from the Sultan of Selangor to forgive Muhammad Sanusi.

In a letter of consent for the pardon, shared via a Facebook post by the Selangor Royal Office on Sept 26, Sultan Sharafuddin confirmed that he had considered and accepted the apology in the spirit of Islamic brotherhood and Malay unity.

On July 18 last year, Muhammad Sanusi pleaded not guilty at the Selayang Sessions Court to two sedition charges over remarks about the Selangor Menteri Besar's appointment and the formation of a Unity Government during a political speech in Simpang 4, Taman Selayang Mutiara - Kampung Bendahara, Gombak, near here, at 11 pm on July 11, 2023.

According to the two separate charges, Muhammad Sanusi was accused of making statements with the tendency to incite disloyalty towards the monarchy.

Both charges were brought under Section 4(1)(a) of the Sedition Act 1948, which carries a fine of up to RM5,000 or a maximum of three years in prison, or both, on conviction.

Meanwhile, Muhammad Sanusi, when met outside the court, expressed his gratitude for the decision, while Awang Armadajaya, representing the defence team and his client, expressed their heartfelt thanks to the Sultan of Selangor for accepting the Kedah MB's apology and forgiving him.

-- BERNAMA