Rembau Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) branch leader Badrul Hisham Shaharin, also known as ‘Chegubard’, pleaded not guilty in the Sessions Court in Kuala Lumpur today to a charge of failing to duly notify the police before holding a gathering on New Year’s Eve recently.

Chegubard, 35, who is the chairperson of an organisation called the Malaysian Young People’s Solidarity (SAMM), is jointly charged with Malaysian Graduates Solidarity (SMM) chairperson Mohamed Bukhairy Mohamed Sofian, 23 ( right ), and SAMM director of propaganda Edy Nor Reduan, 33.

Mohamed Bukhairy and Edy Nor also pleaded not guilty to the charge, involving the gathering to protest the increase in prices of goods and the Goods and Services Tax (GST) at Dataran Merdeka, Jalan Raja in Kuala Lumpur between 9pm on Dec 31, 2013 and 1am on Jan 1 this year.

They are charged with failing to notify the Dang Wangi police chief 10 days before the gathering was held.

The charge, under Section 9(1) of the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012, carries a fine of up to RM10,000, if found guilty.

Deputy public prosecutor Suhaimi Ibrahim offered bail at RM5,000 in one surety each, but lawyer Eric Paulsen, representing Chegubard, Mohamed Bukhairy and Edy Nor, requested his clients to be allowed bail on personal bond as it only involved a summons case.

Judge Azman Mustapha allowed them to be released on RM5,000 personal bond and set Feb 27 for mention.

- Bernama