KUALA LUMPUR, April 12 – Parti Keadilan Rakyat vice-president Tian Chua today filed an application to strike out the sedition charge against him in relation to the Lahad Datu intrusion incident.
Tian Chua’s lawyer Eric Paulsen informed Sessions Court Judge Norsharidah Awang that the application was filed at the High Court. The judge fixed June 6 for mention of the case. On March 14, Tian Chua or Chua Tian Chang, 50, pleaded not guilty to the sedition charge brought against him for having allegedly claimed that the Lahad Datu armed intrusion was orchestrated by the Umno government as a distraction and scare tactic.
He was charged under Section 4(1)(b) of the Sedition Act 1948 which provides for a jail term of three years or a maximum fine of RM5,000, or both, for the first offence and up to five years imprisonment for subsequent offences, upon conviction.
Tian Chua was alleged to have committed the offence at No. 62-2-A Fraser Business Park, Jalan Metro Pudu, off Jalan Yew, here at 11 am on March 1.
BERNAMA
