Arrest warrant issued against Tian Chua

KUALA LUMPUR: An arrest warrant was issued against PKR vice-president Tian Chua after he failed to turn up for the management of his sedition case but his lawyer said he was simply unaware that his presence was required in court.

Latheefa Koya assured the court that Tian Chua will be present today to explain the situation to the judge and to apply for the arrest warrant to be cancelled.

“The matter today was fixed for case management. Tian Chua did not go as his appearance had been dispensed with for case management before this.

“In fact, he was not aware of the case management date today,” she said yesterday.

Earlier, the High Court issued a warrant to arrest against Tian Chua after he was absent for the case management of his appeal over his conviction and sentence under the Sedition Act 1948.

Justice Mohd Sofian Abd Razak said Tian Chua and his counsel did not turn up and no reasons were given.

On Sept 28 last year, Tian Chua, whose real name is Chua Tian Chang, 54, was sentenced to three months’ jail and fined RM1,800 after he was found guilty of uttering seditious words during a forum at the KL and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall on May 13, 2013.