Malaysia has charged opposition leader and former Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin with sedition for allegedly insulting the country’s former king, according to his lawyer on Tuesday.
Muhyiddin, who served as Malaysia’s Prime Minister for 17 months from 2020 to 2021, was charged in a court in the northeastern state of Kelantan. He pleaded not guilty to the sedition charge related to remarks he made during a political speech earlier this month.
Malaysia’s monarchy is unique in that the country’s nine sultans take turns as king every five years, and the monarchy, while largely ceremonial, is deeply respected. Criticism of the royalty can be prosecuted under Malaysia’s colonial-era Sedition Act.
In his August 15 speech, Muhyiddin reportedly questioned the credibility of former King Al-Sultan Abdullah Ahmad Shah after the 2022 general election, which led to a hung parliament. Muhyiddin had claimed he had enough support to form a government but questioned why Al-Sultan Abdullah did not invite him to be sworn in as Prime Minister.
Al-Sultan Abdullah appointed Anwar Ibrahim as Prime Minister in November 2022, and his five-year reign ended in January. The former king has not publicly commented on Muhyiddin’s remarks, and his office was unavailable for comment.
Muhyiddin, who leads Malaysia’s conservative, Malay-centric opposition bloc, faces up to three years in prison and a fine of up to 5,000 ringgit ($1,148) if convicted. He is also facing separate charges of corruption and money laundering, which he has claimed are politically motivated.
Anwar’s government has denied targeting political rivals, stating that the charges are part of a broader effort to address high-level corruption.
