KUALA LUMPUR: The Bersatu supreme council has condemned what it calls the government's decision to charge its president, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, with sedition.
A special meeting of the council, chaired by deputy president Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu, claimed the charges against Muhyiddin was another example of "selective prosecution for political and nefarious reasons" aimed at putting pressure on the Bersatu and Perikatan Nasional leadership.
Bersatu secretary-general Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin said police and the Attorney-General's Chambers had chosen to rush into prosecuting Muhyiddin without considering the "facts and evidence" from key individuals involved or scrutinising the documents he had submitted.
"The charges against Muhyiddin were indeed extraordinary, as the inspector-general of police had admitted that the investigation paper was handed over to the attorney-general on the same day Muhyiddin's statement was recorded and (certain) documents handed over," he said in a statement.
Hamzah said the documents handed over to investigators were:
* a letter of instruction from the Dewan Rakyat Speaker to submit statutory declarations as evidence of majority support;
* evidence of 115 SDs from members of parliament supporting Muhyiddin Yassin; and,
* an acknowledgment receipt from the principal private secretary to the King of the SDs.
He said Bersatu believed that the country's judicial institution would act in an independent, fair and wise manner in evaluating the provisions of the Sedition Act, including the exceptions for acts, speeches, words, publications, or other items deemed seditious.
"The supreme council meeting made the unanimous decision to stand behind Tan Sri Muhyddin and call on the entire leadership, grassroots and supporters of the party to fight against all forms of injustice that prevents PN leaders from continuing to speak out for the truth," he said.
Muhyiddin was charged yesterday with uttering seditious words. He claimed trial.