Police are set to refer for prosecution the case of a 23-year-old Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) student who was probed over an allegedly seditious speech at a recent vigil for Zara Qairina Mahathir.
According to Tawau police chief Jasmin Hussin, police will be submitting their investigation paper on the case to the deputy public prosecutor by next week at the latest.
He noted that the varsity student was released on police bail after her statement was recorded and “further action” was taken.
“Statements from all relevant witnesses have also been recorded to complete our investigations,” Jasmin was quoted as saying by Berita Harian.
“So far, police have received 28 reports from the public who disagreed with the UMS student’s seditious remarks,” he added.
He noted that initial investigations found that the undergraduate was among those who spoke at the solidarity gathering for Zara, a 13-year old boarding school student who died on July 17 following what was described as months of alleged bullying.
The case involving the UMS student is being investigated under Section 4(1) of the Sedition Act 1948 for uttering seditious words and Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998, which deals with misuse of network services.
The probe also involves provisions under the Penal Code, particularly Section 506 on criminal intimidation and Section 505(b) on causing fear or alarm to the public.
Student allegedly held for over 5 hours
Yesterday, Jasmin said three police reports were lodged concerning an individual who allegedly made seditious remarks against the Sabah governor during the “Justice for Zara” rally held at the Tawau Municipal Council Square on Aug 31.
A UMS student group had later criticised the alleged arrest of its member under the Sedition Act, pointing out that a vigil is a space for mourning and solidarity, not a crime.
Another student group, Federasi Pemuda Kebangsaan, also condemned the police’s alleged actions, urging Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail to resign while describing the police’s probe into the student activist as an abuse of power.
Police had allegedly held the student, identified by Suara Mahasiswa UMS only as Aliefah, for over five hours yesterday.
According to the group, Aliefah had already given a statement to the police, in the presence of three witnesses, with her signature affixed as a sign of completion.
However, the group claimed that the police then demanded a follow-up intelligible statement or formal statement from Aliefah, with the Tawau Special Branch supposedly called in to take over the investigation after the student refused to provide answers. - Mkini
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