KUALA LUMPUR: Prosecution witness Azmil Khusaini Khalid told the High Court yesterday he was “not satisfied” that veteran lawyer Karpal Singh had questioned the legality of the BN state government in Perak.
Azmil, 41, secretary of Persatuan Gabungan Pelajar Melayu Semenanjung Negeri Perak (GPMS), who is also a teacher at SMK Simpang Pulai in Ipoh, said he had lodged a police report because Karpal had questioned the actions of the sultan of Perak.
Azmil was being cross-examined by defence counsel Jagdeep Singh at the trial of Karpal Singh, DAP national chairman, who is charged with uttering seditious words against the sultan of Perak at his legal firm in Jalan Pudu Lama here, between noon and 12.30pm on Feb 6.
He is alleged to have said the removal of Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin as menteri besar by the Sultan could be questioned in a court of law.
Azmil testified that as the secretary of GPMS, he had lodged a police report against Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Nizar and Karpal as GPMS was dissatisfied with Karpal’s statement on TV questioning the actions of the sultan of Perak.
During cross-examination by Jagdeep, Azmil also said that he was sad and dissatisfied when Pakatan Rakyat took over the Perak government in the March 8 general election.
He also said he had been an Umno member for 20 years and was the Umno Pinji Selatan branch head.
Jagdeep: What Karpal Singh questioned was the sultan consenting to the MB from BN, correct?
Azmil: Yes.
Jagdeep: And he questioned if that was legal or not?
Azmil: Yes.
Jagdeep: I put it to you that you are not satisfied that Karpal questioned BN being named the legal state government in Perak?
Azmil: Yes.
This prompted DPP Noorin Badaruddin to ask Azmil in her re-examination if he understood Jagdeep’s question.
Azmil answered “yes”.
Noorin then asked the witness if he was dissatisfied because Karpal questioned the sultan or because he questioned the approval of the BN government.
Azmil answered it was because Karpal had questioned the sultan’s action in approving the new Perak government and added that was the reason he had lodged the police report.
During cross-examination by Karpal, Azmil also agreed that the other two parties he had named in the police report, Anwar and Nizar, had not said anything to insult the sultan of Perak.
Earlier, prosecution witness TV3 reporter Ing Boon Sing told the court that he only wrote the important elements of the press conference in his news report.
Questioned by DPP Melissa Mohd Akhir on what was the important part, he replied “YB Karpal stating his intention to sue the Sultan of Perak.”
During cross-examination, Jagdeep asked Ing if he knew that Karpal had mentioned who would be the plaintiffs and defendants in the suit.
When Ing replied “yes”, Jagdeep asked if Karpal had said during the press conference that he (Karpal) would be the plaintiff. To this, the witness replied “no”.
Ing then told the court Karpal had said that Nizar would be the plaintiff and the new Perak MB (Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir) would be named the defendant.
Ing also said that he only concentrated on putting the ‘important’ parts in his report as the news slot was only one minute for each topic on Berita Terkini.
Hearing continues tomorrow.
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