Lawyer, ex-PSM sec-gen freed of sedition charges

KUALA LUMPUR: The Sessions Court yesterday acquitted and discharged lawyer Eric Paulsen and former Socialist party of Malaysia (PSM) secretary-general S. Arutchelvan on a charge with publishing seditious statement on the social websites.

Judge M.M Edwin Paramjothy made the order after deputy public prosecutor Norinna Bahadun informed the court that the prosecution was withdrawing the charges against them.

Paulsen ,45, was charged with publishing seditious words on his Twitter by alleging the Malaysian Islamic Religious Department (Jakim) of promoting extremism.

The offence waas committed at the office of the Classified Criminal Investigation Unit (D5), Bukit Aman here on Jan 10, 2015.

As for Arutchelvan, 51, he was charged with making seditious posting on Facebook on a Federal Court’s decision in Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s sodomy case.

The offence was allegedly committed at the D5 office in Bukit Aman at noon on Feb 12, 2015.

The charges were made under Section 4(1)(c) of the Sedition Act 1948, which provides a fine of up to RM5,000 or imprisonment for a maximum of three years, or both, upon conviction.

Arutchelvan was represented by lawyer New Sin Yew, while lawyer Latheefa Koya represented Paulsen. - Bernama