Sedition case against Muhyiddin transferred to new judge
KUALA LUMPUR: Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin was allowed to transfer his legal bid to challenge a provision in the Sedition Act to another High Court.
Judge Datuk Azhar Abdul Hamid made the ruling after lawyer Amer Hamzah Arshad, who appeared for the former prime minister, made the application today.
The case will now be heard before Judge Datuk Muhammad Jamil Hussin.
Deputy public prosecutors Abdul Malik Ayob and Nadia Mohd Izhar did not object to the application.
Earlier, Amer, at the outset of the hearing, said his client was previously facing the sedition case scheduled for trial before Jamil.
"We request for the matter to be heard before the same judge, so the case management in this court set for May 20 can be vacated," he said.
On Feb 4, the Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) president's legal team informed the court of their intention to challenge the validity of certain provisions in the Act, claiming that "exceptional difficulties" had arisen from its application.
Muhyiddin had pleaded not guilty to a charge of uttering seditious words during the Nenggiri state by-election campaign at the Dewan Semai Bakti Felda Perasu between 10.30pm and 11.50pm on Aug 14, 2024.
The seditious statement related to his claim that he was not invited by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to be sworn in as Prime Minister after the 15th General Election (GE15), despite allegedly commanding the support of 115 out of 222 Members of Parliament at the time.
The charge was framed under Paragraph 4(1)(b) of the Sedition Act 1948 and is punishable under Subsection 4(1) of the same Act, which carries a maximum fine of RM5,000 or imprisonment of up to three years, or both, upon conviction.
Muhyiddin was not present in court for today's proceedings and was represented by his lawyer.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New Straits Times
3 hours ago
- New Straits Times
Bersatu's RM195 million bank account freeze stays, court rules
KUALA LUMPUR: Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia's (Bersatu) bank account containing RM195 million will continue to be frozen pending the outcome of two judicial review applications and related criminal proceedings, the High Court ruled recently. Judicial Commissioner Gan Techiong made the ruling in CIMB Bank's application seeking a court declaration on whether it should maintain the freeze on the account or release the funds following conflicting instructions from the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) and Bersatu's executive secretary, Datuk Muhammad Suhaimi Yahya. The bank filed the interpleader application after receiving a letter of demand from Suhaimi seeking the release of the funds, which were deposited into the party's account by Bukhary Equity Sdn Bhd. CIMB, as the sole plaintiff, named the MACC, the public prosecutor and Suhaimi as defendants. Gan said the dispute could not be resolved summarily, as the issues raised were already the subject of pending judicial review proceedings and a criminal trial involving former prime minister and Bersatu president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin. "The disputes between the defendants are not suitable to be determined summarily by this court in hearing the bank's interpleader. "They are questions of law and disputed facts forming the subject matters of the judicial review applications at the Special Powers Division of this court and the aforesaid criminal prosecution at the Sessions Court – all of which are still pending hearing and trial, respectively. "If this court is to delve deeper, the effect would be to usurp the domain of other courts that ought to be making the final determination on a wider range of issues," he said in his ground of judgment dated April 9 this year. He said Muhyiddin had been charged in March 2023 in his capacity as Bersatu's president over funds allegedly received by the party, which fulfilled the requirement under Section 52A of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001 (AMLA) to sustain the seizure order on the account. Gan said a society like Bersatu does not have a separate legal personality, as the law allows charges to be brought against its office bearers. The court said in this case, the president (Muhyiddin) was charged in relation to the very funds in question. The court also rejected a late 376-page affidavit filed by Suhaimi's lawyers, saying it was inadmissible as it was filed without leave of court and at a very late stage of proceedings. "The fact that such a lengthy affidavit was filed at the eleventh hour reinforces my view that the matter is not suitable to be summarily determined in this interpleader." Gan then ordered CIMB to continue holding the funds until the High Court's Special Powers Division disposes of the judicial review applications filed by Muhyiddin and Suhaimi, which are still pending. The first judicial review challenges the legality of the freezing order issued by MACC in January 2023, while the second seeks to quash the seizure order issued by the public prosecutor in April of the same year. Leave to proceed with both reviews was granted last year, but the substantive hearings have yet to take place. Muhyiddin is facing four charges under the MACC Act and two under AMLA involving a total of RM200 million, including RM195 million allegedly transferred into the Bersatu account held with CIMB Islamic Bank. Lawyers Sathya Kumardas and Daud Sulaiman appeared for the bank while senior federal counsel Nurhafizza Azizan and federal counsel Mohammad Salehuddin Md Ali represented the MACC and the public prosecutor. Bersatu was represented by lawyers Chethan Jethwani and Tang Jia Yearn.
Daily Express
3 hours ago
- Daily Express
Surveyor dies in 8th-floor fall at Penang construction site
Published on: Friday, June 06, 2025 Published on: Fri, Jun 06, 2025 By: FMT Reporters Text Size: Hairozie Asri, the Penang director of the occupational safety and health department, said the main contractor has been ordered to halt all related works until safety measures have been fully complied with. (Bernama pic) PETALING JAYA: A surveyor was killed after reportedly falling from the eighth floor of a building – an estimated height of 27m – through an opening in a pressurisation shaft at a construction site in Bukit Mertajam, Penang, yesterday. Hairozie Asri, the Penang director of the occupational safety and health department, said the department received information about the fatal accident at 10.30am and immediately dispatched a team of investigation officers to the site. Advertisement 'The victim, a 41-year-old local man working as a verticality surveyor with a subcontractor at the site, was confirmed dead after falling from the eighth floor through an opening in the pressurisation shaft. 'Preliminary investigations found that the opening was fenced off and covered only with plywood. It is believed that the measures provided insufficient protection for workers,' Bernama quoted him as saying. Hairozie said the department had issued three prohibition notices to the main contractor to halt all related works until safety measures have been fully complied with. He said the contractor had also been ordered to conduct an internal investigation to identify the cause of the incident, propose improvements, and present the findings to the department. Hairozie said the department would gather the relevant documents and record statements from all identified witnesses. 'A follow-up visit to the employer's premises will be made after corrective and preventive actions are taken. 'We will also pursue legal action under Section 15(1) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act 1994 (Amendment) 2022 if any violations under the Act are found,' he said. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
The Sun
5 hours ago
- The Sun
Surveyor killed in eighth-floor fall at construction site
BUKIT MERTAJAM: A surveyor was killed after reportedly falling from the eighth floor of a building — an estimated height of 27 metres — through an opening in a 'pressurisation shaft' area at a construction site here yesterday. Penang Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) director Hairozie Asri said the department received information about the fatal accident at 10.30 am, and a team of DOSH investigation officers was immediately dispatched to the site. 'The victim, a 41-year-old local man working as a verticality surveyor with a subcontractor at the site, was confirmed dead after falling from the eighth floor through an opening in the pressurisation shaft area. The incident occurred while he was carrying out surveying work at the building's lobby lift area. 'Preliminary investigations found that the opening was covered only with plywood and fenced off, but it is believed that the measures were insufficient to support weight or provide adequate protection to workers,' he said in a statement today. He said that following investigations on the day of the incident, DOSH issued three Prohibition Notices to the main contractor to halt related works until all safety measures are fully complied with. Hairozie added that the main contractor has also been instructed to conduct an internal investigation to identify the cause of the incident, propose improvements and present the findings to the state DOSH. DOSH will also gather relevant documents and record statements from all identified witnesses. 'A follow-up visit to the employer's premises will be conducted after corrective and preventive actions are taken. We will also pursue legal action under Section 15(1) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act 1994 (Amendment) 2022 if any violations under the Act are found,' he said.
