Former Malaysian Senate president denies sedition charge over royal succession remarks
Veteran Malaysian politician Rais Yatim has pleaded not guilty to sedition over comments supporting a rival claimant to the Negeri Sembilan throne. The charge concerns remarks made during a June ceremony proclaiming Tunku Nadzaruddin Tuanku Ja’afar as the state’s 12th ruler, according to the South China Morning Post.
Former Malaysian cabinet minister and Senate president Rais Yatim has pleaded not guilty to a sedition charge linked to remarks about the succession to the Negeri Sembilan throne. The 84-year-old politician appeared on Friday before the Sessions Court in Ayer Keroh, Melaka, according to the South China Morning Post. The charge relates to comments Rais made on June 5, during a ceremony proclaiming Tunku Nadzaruddin Tuanku Ja’afar as the 12th ruler of Negeri Sembilan.
The source described the proceedings as taking place amid a months-long royal crisis. Rais is accused of making seditious remarks while backing a rival claimant to the throne. The supplied report does not provide the exact words attributed to him or details of the prosecution’s evidence.
His not-guilty plea means the charge remains contested. The available information does not state when the case will next be heard, what penalty Rais could face, or how the royal institution has responded to the proceedings.
This independently written report is based on information supplied by the named publisher. Vertrix News has not independently verified the source report.