A-G acts: Rayer, Isma chief, two others to be charged with sedition

KUALA LUMPUR: Attorney-General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail announced today that four people are to be charged under the Sedition Act 1948 for having allegedly made seditious statements.
The four are:
>> Seri Delima state assemblyman R.S.N. Rayer for allegedly making a seditious remark when debating in the Penang state assembly sitting last month;
>> Ikatan Muslimin Malaysia (Isma) president Abdullah Zaik Abd Rahman for allegedly making a seditious comment on the NGO's website www.simaweb.net that Chinese migrants were intruders brought into Tanah Melayu by British colonialists to oppress Malays;
>> Gopinath Jayaratnam for publishing a statement on his FaceBook account which was allegedly insulting to Allah and the Prophet Muhammad; and
>> Hidayat Muhamad for publishing a statement on his FaceBook account which allegedly insulted Hindu devotees during the Thaipusam celebration on Jan 17.
Abdul Gani said 15 other individuals, including former Umno Bayan Baru chairman Datuk Mohd Ridzwan Bakar, will also be charged with criminal trespass into and allegedly committing mischief and causing damage at the Penang State Assembly last month.
The 15 who intruded into the state assembly building on May 21 were believed to be members of various groups including Umno Youth, Perkasa and Gabungan Pelajar Pelajar Melayu Semenanjung.
He said warrants of arrests had been obtained to charge the individuals concerned in court today.
Meanwhile, Rayer on learning of the pending charge against him, surrendered himself at the district police headquarters in Georgetown about 3.30pm today.
Northeast district police chief ACP Mior Faridalatrash Wahid said Rayer is to be charged under the Section 41(1)(b) of the Sedition Act 1948.
"No," he said, when asked why Rayer was not accorded immunity since the allegedly seditious remarks were made in the House.
Rayer declined to comment when media personnel met him at the police station after he was released on police bail.
"See you in court," he said, before leaving together with Datuk Keramat assemblyman Jagdeep Singh.
In an immediate response, Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said the charge against Rayer was politically motivated and smacked of double standards and selective prosecution.
Lim said elected representatives enjoy full immunity except when questioning matters protected by Part III of the Federal Constitution or Article 152, 153 or 181 of the constitution.
"DAP will vigorously defend Rayer to protect, preserve and defend the sanctity and supremacy of the state assembly as the symbol of parliamentary democracy," the DAP secretary- general said in a statement today.