Malaysian political activist Badrul Hisham Shaharin, also known as Chegubard, has pleaded not guilty to charges of sedition in a court in Johor Bahru. He was charged under the Sedition Act 1948 for comments he made on Facebook regarding a report about discussions for a casino in the Forest City area. The court has set a date for further mention of the case, submission of documents, and setting of trial dates.
Badrul was arrested on Apr 28 following his Facebook comments on a Bloomberg report claiming that Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim had met with individuals to discuss a casino license for Forest City. Both Anwar and the companies mentioned denied the claims in the report. Berjaya, one of the companies involved, filed police reports citing malicious intent aimed at causing political upheaval. Badrul’s Facebook post insinuated that this alleged new casino was related to Anwar’s plans for Forest City to be a special financial zone.
Badrul was granted bail, although the prosecution initially recommended a higher amount. They also requested a gag order prohibiting Badrul from making public statements, including on social media, until the case is resolved. This is the latest in a series of charges the activist has faced, including criminal defamation and sedition charges in Kuala Lumpur. The charges stem from statements made that could damage the reputation of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and a seditious post made in April.
Regarding the casino issue, the unity government’s spokesperson mentioned that several police reports had been lodged but had yet to be scrutinized. He also stated that decisions on whether the government will take action against those who made claims could be decided at a cabinet meeting. Badrul’s lawyer raised questions about why the activist was being scrutinized while the media organizations that reported on the talks were not. He suggested that the prime minister and other officials take action against those publications.
Overall, the situation involves Malaysian political activist Badrul Hisham Shaharin facing sedition charges for comments made on social media regarding a report on discussions for a casino in the Forest City area. The activist has pleaded not guilty and is awaiting further court proceedings. The companies and individuals mentioned in the report have denied the claims, leading to further legal action against Badrul. The situation highlights issues of freedom of speech and regulation of online content in Malaysia.
