Keadilan Youth chief Mohd Ezam Mohamed Nor's trial for purportedly uttering seditious statements in a Malay daily was postponed to March at the Kuala Lumpur High Court today.

Deputy public prosecutor Ahmad Fairuz Zainal Abidin applied for the case to be postponed until March 11 before justice Augustine Paul to avoid clashing with Ezam's numerous other court cases.

"The defendant has many other cases all over the country. We also need to finish the other cases as well, and we have a witness who is overseas at the moment. I hope the court will grant us this request," Ahmad said.

Ezam was said to have committed sedition on March 4 last year when Utusan Malaysia carried a front-page report quoting him as calling for mass demonstrations to topple the government.

He was charged under Section 4 (1) of the Sedition Act which allows the police to investigate persons who are attempting, preparing or conspiring to commit sedition, or those who print or distribute seditious materials.

'Had ample time'

Ezam's counsel, Zainur Zakaria, rebutted the application stating that the prosecution has had ample time to prepare for the case against the outspoken youth leader.

"Last year, the case has come up for more than a few months, so we therefore think that a month is enough for them to decide whether they want to go on or drop the charges," Zainur said.

Ezam was detained on April 10 with nine other reformasi and Keadilan leaders under the Internal Security Act for involvement in a 'militant attempt to overthrow the government'.

Ezam today looked relaxed, dressed in a light blue short-sleeve shirt and a pair of grey slacks. He beamed when his son and wife Bahirah Tajol Aris appeared in court to lend support.

Also present were Keadilan president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, Hulu Klang state assemblyman Azmin Ali, PAS Youth chief Mahfuz Omar and several party supporters.

The Keadilan Youth chief is also facing a battery of charges involving Official Secrets Act and illegal assemblies.