By Debra Chong - The Malaysian Insider
KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 11 — The High Court here has postponed to Monday morning the on-going sedition trial of DAP leader Karpal Singh, which was held up today because of incomplete police investigations.
The prosecution team from the Attorney-General's Chambers told the court that it needed to check with the investigating police officer on getting certain “technical” materials from its own witness in the trial.
DPP Melissa Mohd Akhir asked for more time to obtain a reporter's voice recording of a press conference held by Karpal in his city office on Feb 6, where he is alleged to have uttered seditious statements in relation to the Perak crisis over the fall of the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) state government; and a copy of the news report of the same press conference published online in the Chinese version of news portal Malaysiakini.
Karpal (picture), who is also a senior lawyer, told the court his defence team had not been supplied a copy of the recording or the published news report in Chinese written by the journalist.
Malaysiakini reporter Lee Way Loon, the prosecution's 8th witness, was the highlight in today's hearing which also saw two others questioned.
The 25-year-old, who sported a plain white short-sleeved shirt over blue jeans, seemed to have forgotten much about what transpired during the press conference held 11 months ago that landed Karpal in trouble with the law.
He also said he had “thrown away” the notes he jotted down while covering the February press conference.
“I only remember the press conference was related to the Perak issue,” Lee replied under questioning from DPP Melissa.
“What do you understand of the issue?” she pressed.
“As what I said just now, the removal of the Perak MB Nizar by the Perak Sultan can be questioned in court. YB Karpal also said he will sue the Perak Sultan if the swearing-in ceremony proceeds.
“If I may also add, YB Karpal also said he will file in court next Tuesday after the PC [press conference],” Lee said.
Drawing him to the key question which forms the very foundation of the prosecution's charge against Karpal, DPP Melissa asked Lee if he remembered who would take legal action against the Perak Ruler.
“I don't remember but I remember YB Karpal Singh or Pakatan Rakyat,” Lee said.
“Why do you say 'Karpal or Pakatan Rakyat'?” she asked.
“Because Karpal is from Pakatan Rakyat,” Lee returned swiftly.
Earlier, RTM news producer Ahmad Zaki Mustafa, the 6th prosecution witness, told the court the news clip of Karpal's press conference, aired twice on the TV station's evening edition on Feb 6, was only an extract.
But Ahmad Zaki, who was later asked to make DVD copies of the news clip for the police, said he did not know who had chosen to show that particular segment or who wrote the broadcast script for the news anchors.
TV3 cameraman Mohd Jufri Mohd Judin, 32, who stepped into the witness box next, told the court he did not shoot the press conference, which included a question-and-answer session with reporters, in its entirety.
He said he turned the camera away from Karpal's face and shot the rest of the room where the press conference was held as “cut-ways” for the news editor to include later.
Mohd Jufri also said he did not write anything on the Panasonic tape used for the recording but handed it to his partnered reporter, Ing Boon Sing, after the press conference ended.
His role in the news coverage also ended at that point, Mohd Jufri explained.
Karpal was charged on March 17 under section 4(1)(b) of the Sedition Act 1946 for statements related to the entire Perak constitutional crisis in February.
If found guilty, he can be jailed up to three years and fined RM5,000.
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