Rafique gives statement to police over ceramah about PM

By admin-s On Sep 27, 2024

Pejuang information chief Rafique Rashid Ali was summoned to Bukit Aman to give a statement regarding his speech at a ceramah for the Mahkota by-election on Sept 21, which allegedly touched on the facts of court cases involving Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.

(FMT) – The Pejuang information chief says he was merely explaining the facts of Anwar Ibrahim’s past court cases and not inciting anyone.

Rafique said he is being investigated under Section 504 of the Penal Code for intentional insult with intent to provoke a breach of the peace, and Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 for improper use of network facilities or network service.

He told the media today that at the ceramah in question, he explained the facts of Anwar’s court cases in his capacity as a lawyer, after the prime minister called himself a “respected convict”.

“Most importantly, given my responsibilities as a lawyer, I must step forward and defend the judiciary, as was said by the chief justice in her speech in Goa, India, in March 2023,” he said outside the Bukit Aman police headquarters.

Rafique was referencing a statement in March last year by Chief Justice Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat, who said an attack on a judge’s decision could be considered as a direct attack on the judiciary’s independence. She said this during a speech delivered at the 23rd Commonwealth Law Conference in Goa, India.

Also present at Bukit Aman was Bersatu member Badrul Hisham Shaharin, also known as Chegubard, who organised the ceramah in question.

Rafique, who is also a lawyer for former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, said his speech was merely to explain matters to the public and not to incite anyone to take any unreasonable action.

“If someone with power or being in power says something untrue, the public has a right to speak up. As Malaysians, we have the right to stand up and say it is wrong.”

Rafique said the prime minister, as the holder of the nation’s top office, should not challenge court decisions or insult the judiciary.

“If Anwar is dissatisfied with the courts, he should take action in court. Don’t hawk the issue on the political stage,” he said.

In his speech on Sept 21, Rafique questioned Anwar’s description of the charges he faced as “cruel and vile”, saying the prime minister seemed to be saying that the eight judges involved in deciding on his case were wrong.

On Sept 21, Anwar had called himself a “respected convict” during a rally at the Axiata Stadium, Bukit Jalil, slamming the opposition for constantly harping on his history.