No seditious intent against Raja Muda, argue ex-CM's lawyers

A letter of representation has been submitted by former Malacca chief minister Abdul Rahim Thamby Chik's lawyers appealing for the sedition charge against him to be withdrawn.

Following this, judge Slamat Yahya postponed the hearing to March 1 pending decision on the letter.

"(We are) appealing for the charges against him to be withdrawn, on the basis that the intention was not seditious," Abdul Rahim's lawyer Wan Azmir Wan Majid told reporters outside the Sessions Court in Shah Alam today.

The letter of representation was submitted on Dec 17 and was just received by the prosecution.

Deputy public prosecutor Nik Suhaimi Nik Sulaiman said they have yet to make a decision regarding the letter.

He added their decision on the letter will be announced on March 1.

"If (the letter) is unsuccessful, then we will fix a trial date on that day," he said.

Abdul Rahim, 65, was charged with posting a seditious remark against the Raja Muda of Selangor Tengku Amir Shah on his Facebook account Rahim TambyChik at Jalan Permata 7/1, Section 7 in Shah Alam, at about 8amon Sept 25 last year.

The charge, under Section 4 (1)(c) of the Sedition Act 1948, carries a maximum fine of RM5,000 or up to three years' imprisonment, or both, upon conviction.

Abdul Rahim had also previously pleaded not guilty to an alternative charge of using his Facebook account to post and send comments of a seditious nature with the intention of hurting the feelings of others at the same place, time and date.

The charge, under Section 233 (1)(a) of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 and punishable under Section 233 (3) of the same law, provides a maximum fine of RM50,000 or imprisonment of up to a year or both, if convicted. -Mkini