KUALA LUMPUR: Caretaker Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor pleaded not guilty to two counts of uttering seditious remarks that could incite disloyalty towards the Rulers.
The outspoken Pas lawmaker made the plea after the charges were read before two separate Sessions Court Judges Nor Rajiah Mat Zin and Osman Affendi Mohd Salleh today.
Before Nor Rajiah, the incumbent Jeneri assemblyman is alleged to have uttered seditious and insulting remarks in relation to Sultan of Selangor Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah near Taman Selayang Mutiara at about 11pm on July 11.
Meanwhile, before Judge Osman Affendi, Sanusi was charged with making the same offence when he allegedly uttered seditious remarks questioning Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's statement on the King's decree on the establishment of unity government.
The offence falls under Section 4(1)(a) of the Sedition Act which carries a maximum of three years imprisonment or an RM5,000 fine or both.
Solicitor-General Datuk Ahmad Terrirudin Mohd Salleh asked the court to impose RM5,000 bail for each charge against the accused.
Counsel Datuk Shaharudin Ali who appeared for the accused, did not object to the amount.
He said his client is the Perikatan Nasional (PN) election director for Kedah in the upcoming state election.
"He is not a flight risk," he said briefly.
The courts imposed RM5,000 bail for each charge and fixed Oct 4 for mention.
The courts also issued a gag order preventing Sanusi from issuing any statements regarding the case.
Earlier, Sanusi, donning a white shirt, was calm when he made his plea inside the dock.
Policemen tightened their security inside the packed courtroom, allowing only a few members of the public and media personnel to enter.
Several heavily armed policemen were seen patrolling the court's compound from as early as 7am.
Earlier, about 100 people believed to be Sanusi's supporters gathered outside the court complex here to show their solidarity with the senior politician.
The group was not allowed to gather inside the compound, but that did not deter them from staying near Persiaran Pegawai and Persiaran Selayang Heights roads.
Several Perikatan Nasional (PN) senior leaders were also seen at the compound to give their moral support towards Sanusi.
Sanusi, during a PN ceramah in Selayang, was reported to have belittled Amirudin's appointment by the Sultan of Selangor.
The Selangor Royal Office issued a statement saying that Sanusi's remark in one of the ceramahs held in Selangor recently was considered an insult to the Selangor Royal Institution.
Sanusi also drew comparisons between the Sultan of Kedah (Al-Aminul Karim Sultan Sallehuddin Sultan Badlishah) and the Sultan of Selangor, saying Sultan Sharafuddin's choice was "cokia" (substandard).
Following this, he sent a warkah (letter) to Sultan Sharafuddin to explain his remarks and also apologised to the sultan after police reports were lodged against him.
Police received 57 police reports against Sanusi as of Sunday over his speech.