(Bernama) - The High Court here has set May 30 for lawyer Karpal Singh to enter his defence to a charge of uttering seditious words against Sultan Azlan Shah of Perak in 2009.
Judge Azman Abdullah set the date when the case came up for mention today after the Appeals Court on Jan 20 overturned the High Court's decision to acquit and discharge him from the charge without calling for his defence.
Earlier, Karpal Singh, who was represented by lawyer Gobind Singh Deo, had asked for a posptonement of the hearing pending a decision by the Federal Court
on his appeal of the appelate court's decision ordering him to enter his defence on the case.
Gobind Singh told the court that the appeal was filed on Jan 26.
He added that if the trial proceeded, Karpal Singh would testify under oath.
On Jan 20, a three-man bench of the Court of Appeal unanimously ordered Karpal Singh to enter his defence on a charge of uttering seditious words against Sultan Azlan Shah of Perak during a press conference in 2009.
The panel led by Justice Datuk Ahmad Ma'arop with justices Datuk Clement Allan Skinner and Datuk Seri Mohamed Apandi Ali making up the quorum, had set
aside the Kuala Lumpur High Court's decision on June 11 2010 to acquit and discharge Karpal Singh from the charge without calling for his defence.
Karpal Singh was charged with uttering seditious words against the Sultan of Perak at his legal firm in Jalan Pudu Lama here between noon and 12.30pm on Feb 6 2009.
He was alleged to have said that the removal of Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin as menteri besar of Perak by the sultan could be questioned in a
court of law.
The charge under section 4(1)(b) of the Sedition Act carries a maximum RM5,000 fine or three years' jail, or both, if convicted.
Meanwhile, Deputy Public Prosecutor Noorin Badaruddin informed the court that the prosecution on Feb 2 had filed a motion to set aside Karpal Singh's appeal to the Federal Court and that this would most likely be heard before the May hearing.
