KUALA LUMPUR – Controversial blogger Wan Muhammad Azri Wan Deris, popularly known as Papagomo, pleaded not guilty to the charge of issuing seditious statements against the government at the sessions court (cybercrime), here, today.
The 40-year-old was charged with issuing the seditious statement via Halid Hamidi’s Facebook page (Halid Mat Kool) at 1pm on November 8, 2023.
According to the charge sheet, Wan Azri implied that “the government is pro-Israel and pro-West and cited that as setting a dangerous precedent due to it being led by an old pro-Western effeminate (bapuk)”.
He was charged under Section 4(1)(b) of the Sedition Act 1948, which carries a fine of not more than RM5,000, a jail sentence not more than three years, or both if found guilty.
During proceedings, deputy public prosecutor Mohamad Mustaffa P. Kunyalam called for the court to set bail at RM10,000 and additionally issue a gag order against the accused.
Defence counsel Muhammad Rafique Rashid Ali, however, objected to the gag order and called on the court to set a reasonable bail amount considering the accused’s spouse, who would be posting bail, is only a housewife with five children.
Sessions judge N. Priscilla Hemamalini then set bail at RM7,000, issued no gag order, and fixed February 5 for mention.
No stranger to controversy, Wan Azri, a former Umno Youth executive council member, was previously found guilty of injuring and hurling disrespectful and insulting words at Muar MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman.
For the offence, Wan Azri was fined RM2,100 by the Kajang magistrates’ court on September 12, 2023.
Wan Azri has also been sued by Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil over an allegation that the minister had given a political speech at a mosque in Rawang, Selangor, prior to the six state elections last August. – January 8, 2024