PKR rep drops appeal on sedition charge
MalaysiaKini.com
Oct 20, 2014

Selangor assemblyperson Md Shuhaimi Shafiei withdrew his appeal to strike out his sedition charge in the Federal Court in Putrajaya today.

Shuhaimi's lawyer, Joshua Tay informed Shuhaimi’s decision to the five-member panel led by Federal Court judge Justice Ahmad Ma'arop this morning.

Justice Ahmad then recorded the withdrawal and said the appeal is hence struck off.

The other Federal Court judges sitting with him were Justices Hasan Lah, Md Apandi Ali, Abu Samah Nordin and Ramly Ali.

The High Court in Shah Alam and the Court of Appeal had previously dismissed the application of Shuhaimi to strike out the charge.

However, the Sri Muda assemblyperson from PKR filed an originating summons on Sept 15 this year, challenging the constitutionality of the heavily criticised Sedition Act in a second attempt to challenge the charge.

Tay told reporters outside court that the High Court has fixed Jan 8 to hear Suhaimi’s application challenging the Act.

DPP Awang Armadajaya Awang Mahmud represented the prosecution.

Shuhaimi was charged with sedition in 2011 for a blog posting he made on the appointment of Mohd Khusrin Munawi as the new Selangor state secretary.

On Dec 30, 2010, Shuhaimi questioned the powers of the Selangor sultan, in an article entitled 'Pandangan saya berasaskan Undang-undang tubuh Kerajaan Selangor 1959'.

The charge is framed under Section 4(1) (c) of the Sedition Act, for publication of an article that is deemed seditious.

The Sri Muda assemblyperson filed his application to strike out the charge in April 2011.

In his originating summons filed on Sept 15, Shuhaimi had sought a declaration that Sections 3 and 4 of the Sedition Act are in conflict with Article 10 (1) (a) on freedom of speech and expression.

The assemblyperson said the two sections, in their true construction were against the constitution and should be rendered unconstitutional.

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