Malaysia: Muhyiddin Yassin Charged With Sedition For Alleged Mocking Of Former King (image@ @MuhyiddinYassin)

Muhyiddin Yassin, former Prime Minister of Malaysia, was charged with sedition over a speech that allegedly questioned the integrity of the country’s previous king, said AP. Muhyiddin, pleaded not guilty in a court in the northeast Kelantan state. As per the chargesheet, Muhyiddin, who led Malaysia from March 2020 to August 2021, made the seditious remarks last month during a by-election campaign in Kelantan.

Under rotating monarchy which started when the Malaysia gained independence from Britain in 1957, nine ethnic Malay state rulers take turns as country’s king for five-year terms. Though the monarchy plays a largely ceremonial role, they are revered by the nation’s majority Muslims.

Reportedly, Muhyiddin, in his speech on Aug. 14, had questioned why then-King Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah didn’t invite him to be prime minister following a hung Parliament in November 2022. He claimed that he had the backing of majority lawmakers.

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Muhyiddin’s Islamic nationalistic bloc received stronger-than-expected support from Malays, who account for two-thirds of Malaysia’s 34 million people. The king appointed then-opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim as prime minister after Anwar cobbled up support from rival parties to form a unity government.

Sultan Abdullah, who is from the central Pahang state, ended his reign on January 30 this year. He did not comment on the issue. However, his son issued a strong rebuke to Muhyiddin, saying his remarks were dangerous and could divide the people and undermine the royal institution.

The former Prime Minister was questioned by police after receiving complaints against him, said the report. He had denied insulting the royalty, saying his remarks were factual and that he had handed in sworn oath of support by 115 lawmakers in the 222-member parliament.

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Zaid Malek from Lawyers for Liberty, a human rights and law reform group, slammed the use of the colonial-era Sedition Act against Muhyiddin, and added that questioning or criticizing the exercise of constitutional power by the king wasn’t seditious.

As per the law, which was introduced by the British in 1948, speech or actions with an undefined “seditious tendency,” including that which promotes hatred against the government and monarchy or incites racial discord are criminal offence.

If found guilty, Muhyiddin will face up to three years in prison or a fine or both.  He is also still battling corruption and money-laundering charges that he claims are politically motivated.