Ex-Malaysian minister charged with sedition over Negeri Sembilan royal crisis

A veteran Malaysian politician pleaded not guilty on Friday to a sedition charge over remarks backing a rival claimant to the Negeri Sembilan throne amid the months-long royal crisis.Rais Yatim, 84, a former cabinet minister and president of Malaysia’s Senate, was charged at the Sessions Court in Ayer Keroh, Melaka, for his comments on June 5, during a ceremony proclaiming Tunku Nadzaruddin Tuanku Ja’afar the state’s 12th ruler.Rais is accused of uttering seditious words at the Melaka-resort" class="entity-link entity-location" data-entity-id="209362" data-entity-type="location">Parkroyal A’Famosa Melaka Resort in Alor Gajah at about 1pm that day, an offence under Section 4(1)(b) of Malaysia’s Sedition Act 1948. The offence carries a maximum fine of 5,000 ringgit (US$1,200), up to three years in prison, or both.