Seri Delima assemblyman acquitted and discharged over alleged seditious remarks

GEORGE TOWN: The Sessions Court today acquitted and discharged Seri Delima assemblyman R. S. N. Rayer over alleged seditious remarks made two years ago.
In doing so, Sessions Court Judge Ibrahim Osman said the prosecution failed to prove a prima facie case.
He said the words (which referred to Umno) were uttered in the correct forum which was the Penang state legislative assembly and touched on elements of peace and harmony raised by Penang Yang di-Pertua Tun Abdul Rahman Abbas in his speech.
He said the court cannot accept that a political party be seen as a particular race and have to accept that it be viewed as a political entity and not a race.
He added viewing a political party as a race will have a great impact on the public and bring about negative implications.

Judgement in such cases required the court to examine the uttered words in their entirety and context, he said.
"I am not confident and do not believe the accused had seditious tendencies," he added.
Rayer was represented by Gobind Singh and Ramkarpal Singh while DPPs Lim Saw Sim and Farah Aimy Zainul Anwar prosecuted.
Rayer was charged with making anti-Umno remarks on May 20, 2014, during the Penang legislative assembly sitting.
The offence, under the Sedition Act 1948, provides for a maximum five years jail or RM5,000 fine.
Rayer had also been charged with making seditious remarks during a speech at a park in Island Glades here at 10pm on May 22, 2014, but was acquitted of that charge on April 29, this year.
Sessions Court Judge Tuan Roslan Hamid had then also acquitted and discharged him of an alternative charge for the offence under the Penal Code.
Outside the courtroom today, Gobind urged the prosecution not to appeal against the latest decision, and also urged the Attorney-General to withdraw the appeal in the April acquittal.