Surendran pleads not guilty to second sedition charge

KUALA LUMPUR: Padang Serai MP N. Surendran pleaded not guilty on Thursday to a charge of sedition at the Sessions Court here.

Surendran, 48, claimed trial to uttering seditious words in a YouTube video at 2pm on Aug 8.

The PKR vice-president allegedly committed the offence at the Palace of Justice in Putrajaya in his capacity as the counsel for Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

Surendran is accused of committing sedition by saying that the Sodomy 2 proceedings against Anwar were "an attempt to jail the opposition leader of Malaysia".

If found guilty of the offence under Section 4(1)(b) of the Sedition Act, Surendran faces a fine of not more than RM5,000, a jail term of no more than three years or both, upon sentencing.

In submissions for bail, DPP Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin asked for bail to be set at RM 8,000.

In rebuttal, Surendran's counsel Oh Choong Ghee asked for a personal bond to be set, or a minimal sum.

Judge Ahmad Bache set bail at RM4,000 with one surety and fixed Oct 3 for mention.

"I do not foresee an officer of the court absconding from proceedings, and you are an MP," the judge said to Surendran. 

This is the second sedition charge levelled against Surendran, who was charged with sedition on Aug 19.

In his first charge, Surendran allegedly made statements regarding the judgment of the appellate court in Anwar's second sodomy case in a YouTube video.