The Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court has set Sept 15 as the date to deliver a decision into a sedition case against PKR vice-president Tian Chua over his speech during a forum on May 13, 2013.

Justice Zulqarnain Hasan said this at the end of the defence case this morning.

Jailed former opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim had earlier testified as the second and last witness.

During cross examination by DPP Julia Ibrahim, Anwar disagreed to a suggestion he was not aware that there could be seditious tendencies in Chua’s speech, as he did not attend the post 13th general election forum held at Kuala Lumpur Chinese Assembly Hall.

“I listened to the speech but I was not there at the event,” Anwar said.

To an earlier question by defence counsel N Surendran, Anwar said the then Pakatan Rakyat federal coalition had chosen to protest against the election outcome through legal means and peaceful assemblies as provided for under the Federal Constitution.

“There was no overall survey but based on the popular votes that we (Pakatan Rakyat) received (during GE13) and subsequent series of rallies to protest against what we consider as shortcomings in the election process, I believe the people’s awareness have increased,” said Anwar when asked about his views on public sentiment against Barisan Nasional at the time.

Pakatan Rakyat which at the time comprise PKR, DAP and PAS had obtained 50.8 percent of popular votes in GE13 but secured less seats against BN that went on to form the federal government.

Chua earlier took the stand and continued his testimony which began yesterday.

The Batu MP disagreed that his repeated use of the word “bangkit” (rise) during the speech was intended to incite the rakyat to overthrow the government via undemocratic means.

Throughout the proceeding, Surendran had raised objections on grounds that some of the questions were repetitive.

He also objected to questions that indirectly referred to Chua’s Section 112 statement (of the Criminal Procedure Code) given to the police on May 29, 2013.

Justice Zulqarnain, however, ruled that Julia could proceed with the questions.

At the forum held one week after GE13, Chua and two others - activists Hishamuddin Rais and Adam Adli Abdul Halim - were accused of inciting the rakyat to go down to the streets and overthrow the ruling BN government.