A-G drops sedition charge against Azmi Sharom

Associate Professor Dr Azmi Sharom’s statement on the Perak constitutional issue landed him in hot water. Today, the sedition charge against him was dropped. – The Malaysian Insider file pic, February 12, 2016.The sedition charge against law lecturer Associate Professor Dr Azmi Sharom has been dropped, the Attorney-General’s Chambers said today.

It issued a three-paragraph statement today saying Attorney-General Tan Sri Mohamed Apandi Ali has decided to drop the charge against the Universiti Malaya academic.

Apandi said the decision was made after reviewing evidence from all prosecution witnesses who testified in court.

“For the sake of justice, and after reviewing evidence from all prosecution witnesses who had testified in court, I, the attorney-general as the public prosecutor under Article 145 (3) of the constitution, in my discretion, decided to discontinue the prosecution of Associate Professor Dr Azmi Sharom to the charge under Section 4 (1) of the Sedition Act 1948,” he said in a statement today.

Apandi also said in carrying out its function under the law, the practice of reviewing criminal cases charged in court had and would continue.

He said such action was conducted in the past in the case of DAP vice-chairman Teresa Kok.

The A-G’s Chambers on November 20 withdrew its charge against Kok who was charged with sedition over a video clip aired in conjunction with the Chinese New Year.

No reason was given by the prosecution on the matter.

Kok, who is Seputeh MP, pleaded not guilty at the Sessions Court on May 6, 2014 over a charge of producing a seditious video clip entitled, “Teresa Kok ONEderful Malaysia CNY 2014”, in conjunction with the Chinese New Year in February that year.

On September 2, 2014, Azmi, was charged under Section 4(1)(b) and Section 4(1)(c) of the act over his comments in an article titled “Take Perak crisis route for speedy end to Selangor impasse, Pakatan told” published in a news portal. – February 12, 2016.