Malaysia's former PM Muhyiddin pleads not guilty to sedition charge

KUALA LUMPUR - Opposition chief Muhyiddin Yassin pleaded not guilty to a charge of sedition on Aug 27, over a speech in Kelantan earlier in August where he had said he was not invited by the King to form the government despite claiming the majority support of MPs after the 2022 General Election.

- Shannon Teoh

The Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia president made the remarks on Aug 14 while campaigning in Nenggiri for the Aug 17 by-election, which his Perikatan Nasional (PN) alliance lost to Umno, whose candidate represented Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's multi-coalition government.

The PN chairman left after making his plea in court in Gua Musang the district where the Nenggiri state seat is located - but the coalition's assistant secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan told reporters that prosecutors had asked for bail of RM20,000 (S$6,000) and a gag order against Muhyiddin repeating his claims.

"In our view, this is excessive. The maximum fine (for sedition) is only RM5,000," the Parti Islam SeMalaysia secretary-general said.

He added that the court agreed to set bail at RM5,000 and declined to issue a gag order. The case will be mentioned on Nov 4.