The Kuala Lumpur High Court today had to postpone the hearing of an application by Universiti Malaya law lecturer Azmi Sharom to transfer his sedition trial to a higher court after the prosecution filed an affidavit-in-reply.

Azmi's lawyer Gobind Singh Deo told the court he needs time to reply.

High Court judge Ab Karim Ab Rahman then fixed Jan 13 to hear the application.

"I was just served with the affidavit-in-reply (by the prosecutor).

"There is one part of the affidavit which requires us to respond in particular," he told the media outside the courtroom.

DPP Hayda Faridzal Abu Hasan was also present in court.

Azmi, 46, was charged under Section 4(1)(b) of the Sedition Act for a comment he made to Malay Mail Online on the Selangor menteri besar crisis that was brewing at the time, which was published in an article titled ‘Take Perak crisis route for speedy end to Selangor impasse, Pakatan told’.

He also faces an alternative charge under Section 4(1)(c) of the same Act. The charge carries a penalty of a maximum fine of RM5,000 or three years’ prison, or both, upon conviction.

Azmi had applied for the case to be transferred from the Sessions Court to the High Court.

With the postponement, Gobind said he would apply to adjourn the hearing at the Sessions Court, which is fixed on Jan 8.