SEX BLOGGERS FILE REVISION APPLICATION AGAINST BAIL REFUSAL
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia - Sex bloggers Alvin Tan Jye Yee and Vivian Lee May Ling
have filed a revision application against the High Court's refusal to
grant bail after they claimed trail to three different charges on
Thursday.
Counsel Chong Joo Tian said they filed the application at about 3.50pm yesterday.
Tan, 25, and Lee, 24, claimed trial to the three charges which were read to them before judge Murtazadi Amran.
They were jointly charged under subsection 5(1) of the Film
Censorship Act 2002 (Act 620), Section 4(1)(c) of the Sedition Act and
Section 298A(1) of the Penal Code.
They were accused of displaying pornographic images in their blog at
Kompleks Mutiara, Jalan Ipoh here between July 6 and 7 from 9pm to 2am.
The second charge read that they had uploaded content, which has the
possibility of stirring religious hostility between people of different
beliefs, at a restaurant in Jalan Dang Wangi here from July 11 and 12 at
about 10.48pm.
At the same time, Tan and Lee faced a third charge of publishing a
seditious photograph of themselves eating bak kut teh on Facebook with
the caption "Selamat Berbuka Puasa at Kompleks Mutiara".
The posting had also carried a halal logo and the words wangi, enak, menyelerakan (fragrant, delicious, appetising).
Murtazadi had granted the prosecution's application for the case to be jointly tried. He set Aug 23 for mention.
- Tan and Lee were sent to Sungai Buloh Prison and Kajang Prison, respectively.
- The couple removed the posting and uploaded a new picture of them eating ketupat, rendang and curry puffs after the earlier posting caused an uproar among Malaysians. Their Facebook page was later deactivated.
- Tan and Lee had also issued an apology in a 1:22 minute video on YouTube in which they apologized for the insensitive posting, claiming it was done in jest.
Source: AsiaOne
MBC URGES GOVT TO REVIEW SEDITION ACT
KUALA LUMPUR: The Bar Council Tuesday urged the government to seriously review the Sedition Act 1948 with the aim of repealing the legislation totally.Responding to the sedition charge on DAP chairman Karpal Singh at the Sessions Court Tuesday, the council's newly-appointed president Ragunath Kesavan said the act had severely encroached the public enjoyment and exercise of fundamental civil liberties.
"The Bar Council is shocked and troubled that the Attorney-General has proceeded to charge Karpal Singh under the Sedition Act for his statements on the issue of the removal of Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Nizar Jamaluddin," he said in a statement issued here.
"It is abundantly clear that Karpal Singh had only voiced his opinion, but at no time did he voice disrespect for or challenge the institution of the monarchy in any way. This is surely permissible under the Constitution and cannot, by any stretch of the imagination, amount to sedition," he said.Any attempt to stifle public opinion by resorting to the act is an act of regression that is antithetical to democratic principles, said Ragunath, who called for the charge to be withdrawn immediately.
"We are concerned with the series of recent prosecutions against those exercising the freedom of speech and call for an immediate end to such harassment.
"We urge the government to demonstrate its commitment to the rule of law and to democratic processes by encouraging open discourse on issues of concern to the Malaysian public," he said.
Lawyer Karpal Singh Tuesday pleaded not guilty to sedition in the Sessions Court here.
He is alleged to have uttered seditious words during a media conference relating to the Sultan of Perak at his office at Messrs Karpal Singh & Co in Jalan Pudu Lama here between noon and 12.30 p.m. on Feb 6.
Courtesy: Bernama
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