PKR Member Convicted of Sedition for Insulting Agong

KUALA LUMPUR: PKR member Iswardy Morni has been found guilty under the Sedition Act 1948 for making remarks deemed seditious and insulting to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong three years ago.

Sessions Court judge MM Edwin Paramjothy ruled that Iswardy failed to raise a reasonable doubt in his defense against the prosecution’s case. However, sentencing has been deferred to Jan 23 to allow both parties to present arguments on mitigation.

The charges stem from statements made in a Facebook video titled “Total lockdown: apa yang kerajaan gagal belajar dalam setahun” (Total lockdown: what the government failed to learn after one year), posted during the Perikatan Nasional administration led by then-Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin.

Iswardy, 47, was charged under Section 4(1)(a) of the Sedition Act and convicted of committing the offence at the Wangsa Maju commercial crime investigation department office on May 29, 2021.

If sentenced, he could face up to three years in prison or a fine of RM5,000.

Paramjothy has also imposed a gag order on Iswardy, prohibiting him from commenting publicly on the case.

Deputy public prosecutor Iznina Hanim Hashim represented the prosecution, while lawyer Faizal Rahman defended Iswardy.