RMAF officer sacked from service for GE13 indelible ink comments

Mej Zaidi Ahmad at the TUDM base military court on Monday.

KUALA LUMPUR: A Royal Malaysian Air Force officer was dismissed from service during a court martial here for making media statements on the ineffectiveness of indelible ink used during the 2013 General Election and releasing information about his transfer letter.

Presiding officer Kol Saadon Hasnan, who chaired the five-member panel, handed down the decision after he found Mej Zaidi Ahmad guilty of the charges.

In his judgement, Kol Saadon said Mej Zaidi was given three choices at the defence stage, but the latter chose to remain silent.

He said in totality, the Court evaluated submissions from both parties and his silence was sufficient to convict Mej Zaidi of the second and third charges, the charges where he was ordered to enter his defence.

"Therefore, the Court decides that Mej Zaidi is guilty of the charges.

"This Court unanimously decides to dismiss you from the service of Seri Paduka Baginda Yang di-Pertuan Agong depending on the confirmation by the appropriate authority," he said.

Kol Saadon said they made the verdict based on several factors including public interest, gravity of the offence, social standing of Mej Zaidi and sentence according to the law.

Mej Zaidi, 47, was charged with making statements on the ink to the media without approval from the Defence Ministry, thus breaching the Armed Forces Council Order.

The offence was allegedly committed in the Kepala Batas police station on May 1, last year.

He also faced a charge of broadcasting official information via an "attachment out" signal to the media on his transfer letter without the approval of the Armed Forces Council in Taman Bertam Indah, Kepala Batas at Penang on May 3.

The commanding officer attached to the Butterworth Air Base was ordered to enter his defence on Oct 27 last year.