MP discharged of three sedition charges

SHAH ALAM: Pasir Gudang member of parliament Hassan Abdul Karim was ordered to be discharged not amounting to an acquittal, of three charges under the Sedition Act 1948, at the Sessions Court here yesterday.

Hassan was previously charged in 2015 under three counts of publishing a Twitter statement concerning the 2014 Selangor menteri besar crisis.

Judge Datuk Ahmad Zamzani Mohd Zain made the ruling after taking into account the views of the attorney-general (A-G), who had received a representation from the accused to drop the case. Hassan had submitted the representation to the A-G on June 27.

On the first charge, Hassan, 67, was accused of publishing a seditious statement related to the administration of former Selangor MB Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim, the Selangor executive committee and Sultan of Selangor Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah during the state administration crisis, five years ago.

He was accused of committing the offence via Twitter account @Hakarim51 on Aug 15, 2014 around 5pm at Persatuan Pribumi Perkasa (Perkasa) office at 40, Jalan Tengku Ampuan Zabedah A/9A, Seksyen 9, Shah Alam.

For the second charge, he was accused of committing the same offence using the same method, at the same time and place.

As for the third charge, Hassan was accused of publishing a seditious statement via Twitter account, @zunarkartunis at Bukit Aman’s Classified Crimes Investigation Unit, Kuala Lumpur at 3pm on Feb 10, 2015.

Hassan was subsequently charged under Section 4(1)(c) of the Sedition Act 1948, punishable under Section 4)1) of the same act.

If found guilty, he could be fined up to RM5,000 or jailed a maximum of three years, or both, for each count.

For each subsequent offence, he could be given a jail term of no more than five years.

Hassan was accompanied by lawyer Eric Paulsen. Prosecution was handled by deputy public prosecutor Naliatul Huzaimi Ab Rasip.