UM lecturer failed to get case transferred to High Court

Judge Amernudin Ahmad dismissed the application by Associate Professor Dr Azmi Sharom on grounds that the Sessions Court has the jurisdiction to hear the case.

"The court rules that a full hearing be continued at the Sessions Court and indeed, the accused will not be prejudiced," he added.

However, no date was set for the hearing, but Amernudin fixed tomorrow to hear further submission from counsel Gobind Singh Deo following the latter's request to submit further with regards to Section 3 (3) of the Sedition Act.

On Sept 2 last year, Azmi had pleaded not guilty in the Sessions Court to a charge of using seditious words over the Perak 2009 crisis.

He was alleged to have committed the offence at the office of the Criminal Investigation Department, Kuala Lumpur police contingent headquarters, Jalan Hang Tuah here at 12.30 pm on Aug 15, 2014.

Azmi had also pleaded not guilty to an alternative charge of publishing the seditious words over the same crisis at the same time and place.

The charges were made under Section 4(1)(b) and Section 4(1)(c) of the Sedition Act 1948, respectively, and punishable with a fine of up to RM5,000 or a jail term of up to three years, or both, if convicted.