KUALA LUMPUR: Two bloggers are seeking the withdrawal of their respective sedition and defamation charges linked to His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia.
Wan Muhammad Azri Wan Deris, better known as Papagomo, has sent his representation to the Attorney-General's Chambers (A-GC) while Badrul Hisham Shaharin, who goes by the moniker Chegubard, will follow suit soon.
Defence lawyer Muhammad Rafique Rashid Ali said Wan Azri's representation was sent to the A-GC on Oct 1 while Badrul Hisham's will do so soon.
During proceedings today, Sessions Court judge Siti Aminah Ghazali set Jan 6 to hear the A-GC's decision on Wan Azri's representation.
This was after deputy public prosecutor Wan Ahmad Hijrah Wan Abdullah told the court that they had received the representation on Oct 15 and asked for a further date to convey its decision.
As for Badrul Hisham, Rafique said they had just received documents from the prosecution today and that the representation will be sent to the A-GC soon.
Case management was set for the same date.
On April 29, Badrul Hisham, who is Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) information committee member, claimed trial to a charge of making defamatory statements where he had reason to believe that it would damage the reputation of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.
The alleged offence under Section 500 of the Penal Code took place at 6pm at Istana Negara's Office of the Comptroller of Royal Household on Jan 22.
On May 2, Wan Azri claimed trial to making seditious posts on his X account on April 29.
The offence falls under Paragraph 4(1)(c) of the Sedition Act 1948, punishable under Subsection 4(1) of the same act, which carries a maximum of three years' imprisonment or RM5,000 fine, or both, upon conviction.
On April 30, Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Razarudin Husain had said Wan Azri was detained by members of the federal classified crimes investigation unit.
The statement was allegedly contained in a video clip lasting two minutes and 46 seconds where he questioned the king's decision to grant an audience to the founder of KK Mart stores over the issue of the socks which had the word "Allah" printed on them.
Wan Azri was also said to have claimed in the video clip that the ruler was the one who had given orders that Badrul Hisham be prosecuted under the Sedition Act for also questioning the granting of the audience.