KUALA LUMPUR, April 20 — The activist who started the online signature campaign for the Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad-led Citizens’ Declaration initiative is now being investigated for sedition, according to his lawyer.
Melissa Sasidaran told Malay Mail Online that during questioning by the police in Petaling Jaya this afternoon, Azrul Mohd Khalib was asked for details on the petition calling for Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s removal that was uploaded on www.change.org.
"They asked whether the change.org website belongs to him, whether he created the petition... they also asked whether he knows its implication on the government and prime minister," the lawyer said when contacted.
"After questioning, the police confiscated his phone and laptop. We cannot really tell when they will call us back, it can be soon or a month ahead."
Melissa said Azrul is being investigated under Section 4 of the Sedition Act, which covers a variety of sedition crimes, but added that the police have yet to specify the exact offence the activist had allegedly committed.
Azrul went to the Petaling Jaya police station around 2pm today and was questioned by the police for about an hour.
He initiated the www.change.org online petition in support of the Citizens’ Declaration that has garnered a total of 51,006 signatures at the time of writing.
The Citizens' Declaration was started by former prime minister Dr Mahathir to call for Najib's resignation over various scandals surrounding his administration.
