KUALA LUMPUR: Pandan MP Rafizi Ramli will not be qualified to contest in the next general election following his 18-month jail sentence by the Sessions Court here today.
His counsel Gobind Singh Deo said the PKR lawmaker would not be able to contest if Parliament is dissolved before the final decision to reverse the conviction is made by the Court of Appeal.
“His current position as a member of parliament is not affected and he will still be able to attend the assembly sitting at the Parliament.
“However, he is not qualified to contest in the next general election as according to the Article 48(1)(e) of the Federal Constitution, it is stated that a member of parliament is disqualified if sentenced to imprisonment of not less than one year or to a fine of not less than RM2,000 and has not received pardon,” he said when met after the proceeding, the New Straits Times reported.
Rafizi, who is also PKR vice-president, was sentenced to 18 months in jail for unauthorised possession and exposure of the confidential 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) audit report.
Sessions Judge Zulqarnain Hassan meted out the sentence after he found Rafizi guilty of both offences.
He was accused of possessing Page 98 of the 1MDB audit report, without approval, at the Parliament lobby in Jalan Parliament at 3pm on March 24 this year.
Rafizi is also accused of exposing without approval, the contest of the page at a press conference on March 28.
He was charged under Official Secrets Act 1972 (OSA) which carries a maximum jail term of seven years, upon conviction.