Former Malaysian leader charged with sedition, accused of mocking former king

Former Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin was charged with sedition on Tuesday after he allegedly questioned the integrity of the country's former king in a speech.

Muhyiddin, who ruled Malaysia from March 2020 to August 2021, pleaded not guilty in a court in the northeastern state of Kelantan. According to the indictment, Muhyiddin made the inflammatory remarks last month during a by-election campaign in Kelantan.

Nine ethnic Malay rulers take turns as kings of Malaysia for five-year terms each. The country's rotating monarchy began with Malaysia's independence from Britain in 1957. The monarchy plays a largely ceremonial role but is revered by the country's Muslim majority.

In his speech on August 14, Muhyiddin had asked why then-King Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah had not invited him to become prime minister after a parliament without a clear majority in November 2022. Muhyiddin had claimed that he had the support of the majority of MPs.

Muhyiddin's Islamic nationalist bloc received more support than expected from Malays, who make up two-thirds of Malaysia's 34 million people. Sultan Abdullah appointed then-opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim as prime minister after Anwar rallied support from rival parties to form a unity government.

Sultan Abdullah of the central state of Pahang, whose reign ended on January 30 this year, did not comment on the case. However, his son issued a sharp rebuke to Muhyiddin, saying his comments were dangerous and could divide the people and undermine the royal institution.

Muhyiddin was questioned by police after complaints were received against him. He had denied insulting the royal family and said his comments were factual and that he had taken the oath of support from 115 MPs in the 222-member parliament.

Zaid Malek of Lawyers for Liberty, a human rights and legal reform group, condemned the use of the colonial-era Sedition Act against Muhyiddin, saying questioning or criticising the king's exercise of constitutional power was not sedition.

The law, introduced by the British in 1948, criminalises statements and actions with an unspecified “seditious tendency”. This includes statements that stir up hatred against the government and the monarchy or incite racial conflict.

“The king is a constitutional monarch and not a feudal ruler. His exercise of power can therefore be debated, questioned or criticised. This is the foundation of our constitutional monarchy system,” Zaid said. Anwar had reneged on his promise to repeal the sedition law, which has long been used to suppress dissenting voices, he added.

Muhyiddin, 77, faces up to three years in prison or a fine, or both, if convicted. He is also still battling corruption and money laundering charges that he says are politically motivated.

Muhyiddin was the second former politician to be charged with crimes after former Prime Minister Najib Razak. Several charges were brought against him following his defeat in the 2018 general election. Najib began a 12-year prison sentence in 2022, and several other corruption trials are ongoing.