I am glad that the Attorney General has finally dropped or withdrawn the sedition charge against me this morning at the KL Sessions. At the outset, this charge ought not have been preferred against me. Inter alia, many civil society organisations including Human Rights Watch (HRW) have condemned and expressed grave concern and demanded that the charge against me be dropped many times before but it was deliberately ignored by the AG. I have consistently maintained that I should not have been charged in the first place as clearly there was no justifiable basis. My right to freedom of speech was violated when I was charged on 6.5.2014.
It is also crystal clear that the gig in the video clip is purely a satire and was innocuous and harmed no one or any section of our community in Malaysia and hence NOT SEDITIOUS.
I call upon the AG to immediately drop all charges under the Sedition Act against all those currently charged under the Act including RSN Rayer, Prof Azmi Sharom, cartoonist Zunar, Hishamuddin Rais, YB Ng Wei Aik and several others – as much public funds can be saved if the AG stops embarking on such a redundant and superfluous expedition.
I also call upon the AG and the Government of Najib to uphold the Constitution and to protect and preserve the peoplesโ fundamental rights under Article 10 of the Fed Constitution. At this time of financial uncertainties facing the nation Najib ought to be focusing and channelling his resources to arresting the severe drop of the Ringgit and our economic fundamentals and not indulging in such frivolous actions against public dissent and the voice of the opposition.
Information on my sedition case
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Charge: Sec 4 (1) (c) of the Sedition Act 1948.
Court : KL Sessions Court Jenayah 1.
Criminal Case No: 62-208-05/2014
Judge: Puan Norsharidah bte Awang
Date charged: 6.5.2014
Title of the Video Clip: Teresa Kok ONEDERFUL MALAYSIA CNY 2014
Defence Lawyer: Sankara Narayanan Nair of S.N.Nair & Partners
Dear Yang Berhormat, It is your incumbent duty as representative of the people to carry yourself as Yang Berhormat. No Jokes, no satire when you speak to the press and more importantly when you write or produce a video. Thank You and selamat berhidmat.