By Syed Jaymal Zahiid - The Malaysian Insider
KUALA LUMPUR, March 23 — Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz today called Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s September 16 takeover plans seditious because he allegedly used the name of the King in a bid to trigger defections from the ruling coalition.
Nazri told The Malaysian Insider in Parliament today that Anwar, the Opposition Leader, could be charged under the Sedition Act.
The minister said “there was nothing wrong” if Pakatan Rakyat (PR), led by Anwar, had the majority to form a new government. However, the minister reasoned that the latter had committed sedition by allegedly using the King and the army’s name to trigger defections by MPs from the Barisan Nasional (BN).
“Say if Anwar said he wants to form the new government on September 16, there’s nothing wrong with it. But when you use the King’s name, when you use the army’s name, you have committed an offence,” said Nazri in a brief interview with The Malaysian Insider in Parliament here.
Nazri, the de facto Law Minister, added that “these words are seditious in nature.”
“I suspect, probably there is something under the Sedition Act that we can use to take action against him,” said Nazri.
Former PKR leader and Independent Bayan Baru MP Datuk Seri Mohd Zahrain Hashim last week claimed Anwar had told his party leaders that the King had consented to his takeover bid and that the armed forces was backing him.
Zahrain had made the explosive allegations in Parliament last week during the debate on the Royal Address. It was made following a fallout between Zahrain and Anwar leading to the former’s resignation from the party.
Nazri said that if Zahrain’s claims could be verified, what Anwar did would be akin to inciting rebellion against the present government.
“If you look at the Sedition Act, it covers this as well,” he said. Anwar has yet to explain or verify the validity of Zahrain’s claim.
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