Johor PKR leader investigated under the Sedition Act

A lawyer activist in Johor is being probed under Section 4(1) of the Sedition Act in for allegedly making statements concerning the present Selangor Menteri Besar turmoil, reported online news portal, The Malaysian Insider. Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) vice-chairman and Johor Parti Rakyat Malaysia (PRM) former President, Hassan Karim was reported as saying that "it is my view on the constitution on the Selangor Menteri Besar issue, on Twitter and Facebook recently. His comments were also allegedly deemed to have insulted the Ruler of Selangor. According to Hassan, five policemen from Shah Alam, Selangor, led by ASP Faiziah arrived at his residence in Pontian, Johor on Friday afternoon and seized his personal mobile phone and laptop.

Hassan, who was called to the Shah Alam police headquarters on August 29, insisted will not give in though investigations are being carried on. The prosecution against Hassan follows a string of charges under the the draconian sedition law which involves Penang Assemblyman, RSN Rayer; Padang Serai Member of Parliament N Surendran (PKR); Shah Alam Member of Parliament Khalid Samad; independent preacher Wan Ji Wan Hussein; University of Malaya law professor Dr Azmi Sharom and Sabah politician David Rattlesnake. The most recent is human rights lawyer Edmund Bon, who is being investigated for his comments on fatwa and the non-Muslims. If found guilty, they could be sued for up to RM5000 or imprisonment up to three years, or both, while MPs face the risk of losing their posts if sued for RM2,000 or more, or be imprisoned for at least a year.