Ng acquitted and discharged over sedition charge (Updated)

GEORGE TOWN: The Sessions Court here has acquitted and discharged Tanjong MP Ng Wei Aik (pix) on a sedition charge over his article published in a Chinese daily in 2014.
Sessions Court Judge Ibrahim Osman said the prosecution failed to prove the article written by the parliamentarian was seditious, noting there were two translated versions.
He said the prosecution had failed to prove a prima facie case against Ng and ordered that he be acquitted and discharge in his judgement.
The lawmaker was charged over the article published on Feb 10, 2014 under the Sedition Act 1948 which carries a RM5,000 maximum fine, a maximum three year prison sentence or both if convicted.
The case was prosecuted by DPP Lim Cheah Yit while Ng was defended by Gobing Singh and RSN Rayer.
Outside, Ng thanked his defence team while Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng congratulated his party colleague for winning the case.
“Winning the case against a sedition charge is a victory for all columnist in the country,” Ng added.