Public speaker who insulted Sultan charged with sedition

SHAH ALAM: A freelance public speaker today pleaded not guilty to a charge of making a seditious statement which insulted the Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah via Facebook last year.
Wan Ji Wan Hussin, 32, is alleged to have committed the offence at the Selangor State Secretariat Housing Office, Level 5, Sultan Salehuddin Abdul Aziz Shah Building, Section 5, here, at 10am on Nov 5, last year.
He was charged under Section 4(1)(C) of the Sedition Act 1948 and the offence is punishable under Section 4(1) of the same Act, which carries a fine not exceeding RM5,000 or a jail term of up to three years, or both.
His counsel Radzlan Jalaludin asked for bail to be set at RM2,000, saying his client could not afford a big amount as he had four children to support.
Sessions Court Judge Slamat Yahya allowed the accused bail of RM5,000 in one surety and fixed Oct 10 for mention. Wan Ji paid the bail.
The judge also ordered Wan Ji, a former Selangor PAS committee member, to surrender his passport but the accused claimed he had lost it.
The court then issued an order for the Immigration Department to prevent the accused from going abroad. Selangor Prosecution Unit head Mohd Azari Harun prosecuted. – Bernama