SHAH ALAM: The Kedah Menteri Besar will send a letter of representation to the Attorney-General (AG) to drop two sedition charges of uttering seditious remarks against the Sultan of Selangor and the Yang di-Pertuan Agong last year.
Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor's counsel Awang Armadajaya Awang Mahmud said the representation letter would be sent to the AG soon.
"We will ask for the charges to be dropped and we also have other matters that we want to highlight to the AG.
"The court today set May 3 for mention where we will also convey the results of the representation," he said after the proceedings today.
Earlier, the two charges framed under Section 4(1)(a) of the Sedition Act were read again to Sanusi, 50, before High Court judge Datuk Aslam Zainuddin after the cases were allowed to be transferred from the Selayang Sessions Court on Feb 1.
It is punishable under Section 4(1) of the same Act which provides a maximum fine of up to RM5,000 or imprisonment for up to three years or both if convicted.
Sanusi said he understood both charges and pleaded not guilty.
Deputy public prosecutor Abdul Malik Ayob told the court that all related documents had been handed over to the defence team.
He then asked the court to set trial dates.
To this, Awang Armadajaya said his client had instructed him to send a letter of representation to the AG and asked for a period of four months to do so and to obtain a decision.
"This is important because there are a few documents which we want to send to the AG. This is why I ask for the trial dates not to be set yet until the letter of representation is decided by AG," he said.
However, Malik said the four months was too long and asked the court to fix the trial dates.
"In the meantime, the defence team could still proceed to send the letter of representation and there would still be time for consideration," he said.
Awang Armadajaya also asked Malik to furnish the list of prosecution witnesses seven days from today.
"We do not know who the witnesses are and my client is known to many people. He may unknowingly meet or talk to some people (who may be witnesses).
"To avoid any accusations that he flouted bail conditions, I ask for the list to be given to us and for the court to issue this order," he said.
Malik said they would hand over the list and 10 prosecution witnesses would be called to testify.
Judge Aslam set a 10-day trial to commence on July 22, 23, 26, 29, 30 and Aug 5, 6, 9, 12 and 13.
He also ordered the previous bail of RM10,000 for both charges and additional conditions imposed at the Selayang Sessions Court to be applied at the High Court.
Lawyer Datuk Salehuddin Saidin held a watching brief on behalf of the Sultan of Selangor and the Selangor Council of the Royal Court.
On July 18 last year, Sanusi pleaded not guilty at the Selayang Sessions Court to two counts of uttering seditious remarks that could incite disloyalty towards the Rulers.
He was 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.
Sanusi was also 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.
On Jan 15 this year, Sanusi applied for the cases to be transferred to Shah Alam High Court but this was objected by prosecution, citing that the Sessions Court judge was qualified to preside over the trial.
On Feb 1, Judge Aslam allowed Sanusi's application to transfer the cases to the High Court.