KUALA LUMPUR: Seremban Jaya assemblyman P. Gunasekaren pleaded not guilty in the High Court here to a charge with giving support to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) terrorist group at an event in Melaka two years ago.
He made the plea before Justice Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali after the charge was read out to him in Malay.
Gunasekaren, 61, who is also Negri Sembilan DAP deputy chairman, was charged with committing the offence at Dewan Kasturi Ayer Keroh, Jalan Utama, Taman Ayer Keroh Heights, Melaka Tengah on Nov 28,2018.
The charge under Section 130J (1)(a) of the Penal Code provides for a life jail term or a maximum of 30 years or fine, and forfeiture of any assets used or intended to be used in committing the offence upon conviction.
Lawyer Harshaan Zamani, representing Gunasekaren, told the court yesterday that his client would submit a written application for bail.
On Dec 17, the Ayer Keroh Sessions Court allowed the prosecution’s application to transfer the case to the High Court.
In another High Court, Gunasekaren was slapped with another similar charge where he was alleged to have used the Facebook application under the name of “Dap Guna Palanisamy” at the office of E8 (M) Counter Terrorism investigating officer, Bukit Aman Special Branch, on Oct 7 last year.
Meanwhile, in other proceedings before Justice Mohd Nazlan, storekeeper
S. Thanagaraj, 28, pleaded not guilty to two counts with possession of items linked to the LTTE in Penang last year.
He was charged with possession of the items in a cellphone, at Sky Thommas Food Industries Sdn Bhd. The second charge was allegedly committed at No 7, Lorong Sejahtera 3 on the same day, Oct 12.
The charges under Section 130JB(1)(a) of the Penal Code carries up to seven years’ imprisonment or a fine, and any of the items to be forfeited, if found guilty.
The Sessions Court in Butterworth on Dec 16 ordered both cases to be transferred to the High Court.
Justice Mohd Nazlan fixed Jan 31 for mention of all the cases. — Bernama
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