PETALING JAYA: Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Sanusi Nor was acquitted by the Shah Alam High Court, today, after being earlier charged of issuing seditious remarks against the 16th Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Al-Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah.
According to FMT, High Court judge Datuk Aslam Zainuddin made the ruling after deputy public prosecutor Masri Daud informed the court that the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) had accepted Sanusi’s representations.
The prosecution had seeked a discharge not amounting to acquittal (DNAA) against Sanusi.
Aslam, however, acquitted Sanusi following his defence counsel’s Awang Armadajaya Awang Mahmud arguing that it would be the right order as the prosecution had expressed its intention not to pursue the case.
“When the prosecution expressed its intention not to proceed with the charge, it meant the charge was halted but a DNAA does not reflect its intention.
“If the intention is to halt the charge, it is fair for my client to be acquitted,” Awang Armadajaya was quoted as saying.
Given the latest development involving Sanusi, he now has been freed from all charges of making seditious remarks about the rulers levelled at him in 2023.
He had been charged with issuing seditious statements against the Selangor ruler, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah, and Al-Sultan Abdullah during a political ceramah in Gombak on July 11, 2023.
Sanusi had spoken of the manner in which the Selangor Menteri Besar was appointed and the unity government formed following state and federal elections when he uttered the seditious statements.
He had been slapped with two charges under Section 4(1)(a) of the Sedition Act 1948, which provides for a fine of up to RM5,000, imprisonment of up to three years, or both, upon conviction.
However, on December 10 last year, Sanusi was acquitted of the charge related to his remarks against the Selangor ruler after the AGC accepted his earlier representations.
Sanusi had earlier issued an apology to Sultan Sharafuddin, which was accepted in the spirit of Islam and solidarity amongst the Malay community.
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