Kuala lumpur: The Sessions Court today fixed Nov 4 to decide whether to call Bersatu Port Dickson division chief Badrul Hisham Shaharin to enter his defence or acquit him of a charge of making seditious remarks that could tarnish the good name of His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia. Judge Norma Ismail set the date after deputy public prosecutor Nursyuhada Husna Sulaiman informed the court that the prosecution had closed its case following the testimony of the investigating officer, the final prosecution witness, during today's proceedings.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, the court has scheduled Sept 9 for the filing of written submissions, Oct 9 for any counter-submissions, and Nov 4 for the decision on the prosecution's case, as stated by Judge Norma Ismail. Badrul Hisham, who is also known as Chegubard, was represented by his counsel, Muhammad Rafique Rashid Ali.

Since the trial began on May 16, four prosecution witnesses have been called to testify. These witnesses include the complainant from Istana Negara, two individuals from the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), and the investigating officer.

On April 29, 2024, Badrul Hisham, aged 45, was charged with issuing a defamatory statement believed to tarnish the reputation of the King. The alleged offence took place at the Office of the Comptroller of the Royal Household, Istana Negara, at 6 pm on Jan 22, 2024. The charge is framed under Section 500 of the Penal Code, which carries a maximum sentence of two years imprisonment or a fine or both, upon conviction.