March 13 hearing for Badrul’s appeal to obtain witness statement

2026-03-06 - 07:43

Badrul Hisham Shaharin is charged with publishing seditious content on social media related to a purported casino project at Forest City, Johor. PUTRAJAYA: The Court of Appeal has fixed March 13 to hear Bersatu leader Badrul Hisham Shaharin’s appeal for the prosecution to disclose a witness statement to help him prepare for his defence in a sedition trial. Badrul’s lawyer, Rafique Rashid Ali, said the parties only received the appeal records from the High Court in Johor Bahru today. Deputy public prosecutor Ng Siew Wee confirmed the matter. A three-member bench chaired by Justice Azman Abdullah, who had scheduled to hear the appeal today, adjourned the proceedings to next Friday. “Parties are to file their written submission by Wednesday (March 11),” said Azman, who sat with Justices Hayatul Akmal Abdul Aziz and Radzi Abdul Hamid. On Jan 27, the High Court set aside a sessions court order for the prosecution to disclose Bloomberg journalist S Ram Anand’s statement to Badrul for the Port Dickson Bersatu chief’s sedition case related to a purported casino project at Forest City in Johor. The High Court ruled that the witness statement was a privileged document and protected from disclosure. Badrul, also known as Chegubard, has completed giving his evidence in the sedition trial, and the next witness is Anand. Badrul was charged in 2024 with publishing seditious content on social media related to a purported casino project, which the government has denied. The charge was framed under Section 4(1)(c) of the Sedition Act 1948, which carries a maximum RM5,000 fine, imprisonment of up to three years, or both, upon conviction.