Now ex-Perak MB Nizar faces criminal charges over 2012 speech
Former Perak menteri besar Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin (pic) will be charged with criminal defamation tomorrow for allegedly making disparaging remarks against Datuk Seri Najib Razak and the defence forces in 2012.
His lawyer Fitri Asmuni said Nizar had been ordered to be present in a Sessions Court tomorrow morning.
"The police issued a warrant of arrest against Nizar at the state PAS headquarters before a state Pakatan Rakyat (PR) meeting last Friday. He was instructed to be in court at 9am," Fitri told The Malaysian Insider.
Nizar is alleged to have committed the offence at Taman Desa Pakatan in Ipoh between 9pm and midnight on April 23, 2012.
The current state opposition leader is said to have made the remarks during the run-up to the 2013 general election campaign.
The arrest warrant stated that a report was made against Nizar's speech by an officer identified only as Major General Datuk Abdul Aziz three days after the alleged incident.
Those found guilty for criminal defamation can be jailed up to two years, fined, or both if found guilty.
Nizar, who is also Changkat Jering assemblyman risks being disqualified from office, if fined more than RM2,000 or jailed more than a year and without receiving a free pardon.
He was Perak menteri besar from March 2008 to February 2009 and was dismissed from office after three PR assemblymen crossed over to become Barisan Nasional-friendly.
This resulted in the fragile coalition to lose the state government when BN proved to the late Sultan of Perak Sultan Azlan Shah that it had 31 seats in the assembly compared with PR's 28.
In the general election last year, BN retained power by winning 31 seats against 28 by PR.
PKR vice-president N. Surendran was charged with sedition on Tuesday. Another opposition lawmaker facing the same charge is Tian Chua, a PKR vice-president and Batu MP.
The sedition offence carries a penalty of a maximum three years jail or RM5,000 fine or both.
Tian Chua was also charged with insulting the modesty of the police by allegedly uttering profanities at them while being arrested on April 14 this year.
He was accused of committing the offence under Section 509 of the Penal Code which carries a jail term of up to five years, a fine or both if convicted.
DAP's Seputeh MP Teresa Kok, the late DAP chairperson Karpal Singh and Ulu Kelang assemblyman Shaari Sungib are also facing charges under the Sedition Act.
Seri Setia assemblyman Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad is facing a charge under the Public Assembly Act again despite his previous acquittal of the same charge. – August 24, 2014.
