On Tuesday, Malaysia charged former Prime Minister and opposition leader Muhyiddin Yassin with sedition, accusing him of insulting the country’s former king, according to his lawyer.
Muhyiddin, who served as Malaysia’s leader for 17 months between 2020 and 2021, appeared in court in Kelantan, a northeastern state, to face the charges stemming from remarks he made in a political speech earlier this month. He has pleaded not guilty to the accusations.
Malaysia’s monarchy is unique in that it rotates among the country’s nine sultans every five years, with the role being largely ceremonial and deeply revered. The Sedition Act, a remnant of colonial law, can be used to prosecute negative comments about the royalty.
Muhyiddin’s speech on August 15 allegedly included criticism of former King Al-Sultan Abdullah Ahmad Shah.
Following Malaysia’s 2022 general election, which resulted in a hung parliament, Muhyiddin reportedly questioned why Al-Sultan Abdullah did not appoint him as prime minister despite his claim of having sufficient support from lawmakers.
Instead, Al-Sultan Abdullah appointed Anwar Ibrahim as prime minister in November 2022. The former king’s five-year term ended in January.
Al-Sultan Abdullah has not publicly addressed Muhyiddin’s remarks, and his office was unavailable for comment.
Muhyiddin, who heads Malaysia’s conservative, Malay-centric opposition bloc, faces up to three years in prison and a maximum fine of 5,000 ringgit ($1,148) if convicted.
In addition to the sedition charges, Muhyiddin faces separate allegations of corruption and money laundering from a case filed last year, which he has labeled as politically motivated.
The government under Anwar Ibrahim has denied any political motivation behind the charges, stating that they are part of a broader effort to combat high-level corruption.
