KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 16 — DAP chairman Karpal Singh argued today that he is a victim of selective prosecution in his sedition trial, saying the Attorney-General’s Chambers had not acted on more clear-cut cases of the offence.
In the High Court here, Karpal (picture) highlighted incidents of Malay supremacist group Perkasa chief Datuk Ibrahim Ali threatening to burn copies of Malay-language bibles and his deputy, Datuk Zulkifli Noordin, mocking Hindus.
Neither case was prosecuted.
“This shows inequality and selective prosecution,” the veteran lawyer told High Court judge Datuk Azman Abdullah today.
“The Federal Constitution states all persons are equal before the law and entitled to protection of the law. I have not been given that protection,” he added.
DPP Noorin Badaruddin, prosecuting, then said that the incidents involving Ibrahim and Zulkifli were irrelevant to the case at hand.
Karpal is charged with allegedly uttering seditious words against the Sultan of Perak at his press conference on February 6, 2009.
He is alleged to have said that the removal of Datuk Seri Mohamad Nizar Jamaluddin as Perak mentri besar, and the appointment of Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir, by the Sultan could be questioned in a court of law.
The Bukit Gelugor MP was acquitted without his defence being called in June 2010, but prosecutors later won an appeal of the acquittal in January last year, resulting in the ongoing trial.
Yesterday, Karpal reiterated that his statement was purely a legal opinion and maintained that it was not intended to insult or question the prerogative of the Sultan.
Today, he maintained that he stood by the statement and that it was not seditious as alleged.
Karpal’s lead defence counsel and son, Gobind Singh Deo, later said they will present additional witnesses when the trial resumes from October 4 and 25.
