KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 14 — PKR vice-president Chua Tian Chang was today discharged and acquitted of a sedition charge for allegedly linking the “Umno government” to the Sulu intrusion last February in Lahad Datu, Sabah.
Sessions Court judge Norsharidah Awang ruled today that the prosecution had failed to prove a prima facie case against Chua, saying that he was discharged and there was no need to call him to enter his defence.
Chua was charged on March 14 last year for his alleged remarks in an article titled “Insiden tembakan di Lahad Datu konspirasi terancang Umno ― Tian” (Shooting incident at Lahad Datu an orchestrated conspiracy by Umno ― Tian), which was published in Keadilan Daily on March 1 last year.
Among other things, the politician popularly known as Tian Chua allegedly said the Umno government had a conspiracy to divert the attention of Sabahans, particularly over the issuing of identity cards to foreigners.
The penalty for first-time offenders under Section 4 (1) (b) of the Sedition Act 1948 is a maximum three-year jail term or a maximum fine of RM5,000 or both.
A conviction could have caused Chua to lose his Batu parliamentary seat, as a fine of RM2,000 or a one-year jail term is enough to disqualify the 51-year-old as a member of Parliament.
More to come
