KUALA LUMPUR (30 July): The sessions court here was told on Tuesday that no statement was issued by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim that the Malaysian government was pro-Israel.

An administrative and diplomatic officer, Datuk Zahairi Baharim, formerly with the Foreign Ministry, said this when referring to a Hansard dated Oct 16, 2023, on Anwar’s explanation regarding the Malaysian government's firm stand against the cruelty, oppression and extortion by the Israeli regime against the Palestinian people in Gaza.

"The Palestinian issue is handled by the Foreign Ministry which will prepare answers (on the issue) and submit it to the Prime Minister's office.

"We, at the Foreign Ministry, were asked to give a briefing on the situation in Gaza at the Prime Minister's Office at 9am before the Prime Minister went to Parliament and I was present during the briefing," he said.

Zahairi, who is now with the Public Service Department, is testifying as the fifth prosecution witness when re-examined by deputy public prosecutor Mohamad Mustaffa P Kunyalam at the trial of former Umno Youth exco member Wan Muhammad Azri Wan Deris or Papagomo before Judge Siti Aminah Ghazali.

On Jan 8, Wan Muhammad Azri, 41, pleaded not guilty to the charge of making seditious remarks linking the government to pro-Israel and pro-Western countries on the Facebook page.

He was charged with making seditious remarks on the Halid Hamidi Facebook page (Halid Mat Kool), and the remarks were seen by an individual at a condominium in Jalan Tong Shin, Bukit Bintang, at 1pm on Nov 8, 2023.

The charge was framed under Section 4(1)(b) of the Sedition Act 1948 and is punishable under Section 4(1) of the same law, which provides a fine of not more than RM5,000 or a maximum of three years in jail or both if convicted.

The hearing continues on Oct 18.

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