High Court upholds Tian Chua's sedition charge acquittal

The High Court here today upheld the decision of the Sessions Court to acquit Batu member of parliament Tian Chua of a sedition charge.

Judicial commissioner Datuk Nordin Hassan rejected the prosecution's appeal, saying, it failed to prove that Tian Chua or Chua Tian Chang had uttered seditious words in regard to the Lahad Datu intrusion, in a news portal article.

Nordin said there was no clear evidence to show that the article written by news portal reporter Siti Nooraishah Geoffery in Keadilan Daily.com, concerned Tian Chua, 52.

The judge also found that the former reporter in her testimony at the Sessions Court had said Tian Chua did not specifically used the words, "menakutkan-nakutkan rakyat" and "serangan tembak-menembak" and that the words were processed by the sub-editor.

He noted that Siti Nooraishah in her testimony had said the contents of her article was based on her telephone conversation with Tian Chua; however the key prosecution witness had not recorded the conversation.

On Nov 14, 2014, judge Norsharidah Awang discharged and acquitted Tian Chua without calling for his defence.

Tian Chua was accused of sedition by stating that the intrusion in Lahad Datu was a conspiracy planned by UMNO to divert attention and to frighten the people.

He allegedly committed the offence at Fraser Business Park, Jalan Metro Pudu, off Jalan Yew here around 11 am on March 1, 2013.

Meanwhile, deputy public prosecutor Julia Ibrahim told reporters when met that she would await instructions whether to appeal against the High Court's decision.

Tian Chua who was present at the proceeding was represented by counsel N. Surendran and Latheefa Koya.