{
  "id": 9705026,
  "title": "Ex-Malaysian minister charged with sedition over Negeri Sembilan royal crisis",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/25/ex-malaysian-minister-charged-with-sedition-over-negeri-sembilan",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-25T05:03:55.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "South China Morning Post",
    "slug": "south-china-morning-post",
    "url": "https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3368760/ex-malaysian-minister-charged-sedition-over-negeri-sembilan-royal-crisis"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Veteran Malaysian politician Rais Yatim, 84, has pleaded not guilty to a sedition charge over remarks made on June 5 during a royal ceremony. The former cabinet minister and Senate president faces allegations of inciting loyalty to a rival claimant to the Negeri Sembilan throne, Tunku Nadzaruddin Tuanku Ja’afar. The charge under Section 4(1)(b) of Malaysia's Sedition Act 1948 carries a potential sentence of up to three years in prison and a fine of 5,000 ringgit (US$1,200). Prosecutors allege that Rais wished Tunku Nadzaruddin well and urged attendees to direct their loyalty to him. Rais, who has served in various federal cabinet portfolios, is one of Malaysia's longest-serving political figures. The court fixed his bail at 8,000 ringgit with one surety and set the next hearing for October 27.",
  "summary": "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…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The Vibes",
        "title": "The Negeri Sembilan crisis: Oaths broken, authority challenged, and silence from law enforcement authorities",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/25/the-negeri-sembilan-crisis-oaths-broken-authority-challenged-and",
        "published": "2026-09-25T00:01:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Free Malaysia Today",
        "title": "Negeri Sembilan: Umno’s constitutional miscalculation",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/25/negeri-sembilan-umnos-constitutional-miscalculation",
        "published": "2026-09-25T01:30:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}