Bala could face perjury charge

Star | ....According to the judge, who is an authority in criminal law, affirming a statutory declaration was akin to giving evidence in court.

“Under the normal rule of evidence, one cannot withdraw it unless he has very strong reasons. Those reasons must be included in the withdrawal or else he would be committing perjury,” he said.

About-turn Balasubramaniam at a press conference held with his lawyer in a hotel in Kuala Lumpur after making a new statutory declaration. He claimed that his earlier declaration was made under duress. — Bernama

He said if one was citing duress as a reason for making false accusations in a statutory declaration, he must present proof of such pressure.

“He must show that the pressure was serious like it’s life-threatening to him or his family members.

“He cannot just say that he is withdrawing the statutory statement because he had earlier been forced to do it. Someone can now lodge a police report against him and he could face a perjury charge,” he said.... selanjutnya.