JOHOR BARU: The hearing of Bersatu information committee member Badrul Hisham Shaharin’s charge of posting seditious remarks related to the casino project in Forest City on social media has been scheduled from Nov 18-21.
Sessions Court judge Rasidah Roslee fixed the dates yesterday.
On April 30, the accused, also known as Chegubard, pleaded not guilty to the charge of making seditious remarks on his Facebook account under the name ‘Che GuBard’ at Mutiara Villa Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur at 6.30pm, on April 26.The charge under Section 4(1)(c) of the Sedition Act 1948 (Act 15) provides for a maximum fine of RM5,000 or imprisonment for up to three years or both, upon conviction.
Kuala Lumpur prosecution director Datin Kalmizah Salleh and deputy public prosecutor Nurilya Ellyna Nor Azmal appeared for the prosecution while lawyer Muhammad Rafique Rashid Ali represented Badrul Hisham.
Muhammad Rafique told a press conference after the court proceeding that he was still waiting for a mention date by the Court of Appeal in Kuala Lumpur for his client’s appeal against a gag order issued by the High Court here.
He said the appeal was filed on May 27.
On May 20, the High Court here issued a gag order barring Badrul Hisham from issuing any statements or comments related to the casino project in Forest City until the disposal of the case.
High Court judge Justice Abu Bakar Katar, in his judgment, said that the court is of the view that Article 10 of the Federal Constitution on freedom of speech to respondent (Badrul Hisham) has a limit and was not an absolute right.
