High Court judge Azhar Abdul Hamid allowed the application by defence lawyer Amer Hamzah Arshad for the legal questions to be heard before Criminal High Court 4 judge Jamil Hussin, Bernama reported.

Amer, who represented Muhyiddin, said in his submissions that the legal questions arose from the sedition case faced by his client.

“The sedition case is the main case and has been set for trial at the Criminal High Court 4. Documents relating to the case have also been submitted to the court.

“We have made an application to refer legal questions relating to the sedition case. It has been registered before Azhar.

“Hence, we request that the application be heard before Jamil since the main case is being tried before that judge,” Amer said.

Deputy public prosecutor Abdul Malik Ayob did not object.

On April 4, Muhyiddin, 77, filed an application to refer questions of law regarding the Sedition Act to the Federal Court to challenge the validity of certain provisions in the Act.

He had previously pleaded not guilty to a charge of making seditious remarks during the Nenggiri by-election campaign at Dewan Semai Bakti Felda Perasu, between 10.30pm and 11.50pm on Aug 14, 2024.

The alleged seditious remarks concerned his claim that he was not invited by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to be sworn in as prime minister following the 15th general election (GE15), despite allegedly having the support of 115 out of 222 MPs at that time.

He is charged under Section 4(1)(b) of the Sedition Act, which is punishable under subsection 4(1) of the same Act with a maximum fine of RM5,000, up to three years’ imprisonment, or both if convicted.