The Malay Mail Online – Thu, Nov 27, 2014RELATED CONTENT
- In his policy speech at the start of the 65th Umno General Assembly, he said the …
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 27 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak today declared that the Sedition Act 1948 will continue to exist, in an about turn from his earlier pledge to repeal the colonial era law.
In his policy speech at the start of the 65th Umno General Assembly, he said the decision was made after consultation with party leaders, NGOs and grassroots members.
“I listened to the suggestion by our deputy President (Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin), from Wanita, Youth and Puteri (wings). I heard the motions, the concerns of the grassroots, views of NGOs.
“As Prime Minister, I have decided that the Sedition Act will be maintained,” Najib said to rousing applause from the over 2,700 delegates gathered at PWTC.
As part of his administration’s raft of reforms, the prime minister had in 2012 pledged to do away with the Sedition Act and replace it with laws on national harmony.
But despite the pledge, Putrajaya has in recent months increased its use of the law to hitherto unseen levels.
In just nine months this year, 12 cases have been prosecuted under the Sedition Act ― the highest figure since 2009 ― raising alarm in civil society of the government’s perceived clampdown on dissent.
De facto law minister Nancy Shukri said last month that the Sedition Act could be complemented with new laws instead of being abolished as previously pledged by the Najib administration.
Umno leaders and many right-wing Malay groups have been fighting hard to convince the Najib government to retain the Act, even going as far as saying there is a need to tighten it further to include provisions that specifically prohibits individuals from insulting Islam, the Malay race and the rulers.
Earlier this month, the party’s Wanita wing launched a one million signatures campaign to petition the government against repealing the law.
The signature drive by the Umno wing follows other similar calls from the anchor party in the Barisan Nasional ruling coalition for the government to desist from dismantling the law that has been used mainly on its political foes.
The Malaysian Bar held a mass protest against the Sedition Act last month and said the laws replacing the Sedition Act should remove elements that restrict free speech, while still protecting the royalty from insults.
Najib, who is also Umno president, said today that Putrajaya is now in the midst of broadening the powers of the Act to have specific clauses on religion and secession of Sabah and Sarawak from the federation.
“We will include provisions to protect the sanctity of Islam, and for that matter, other religions also cannot be insulted.
“Secondly, we will include that action can be taken against anyone who tries to push for Sabah and Sarawak to leave Malaysia. Agree?” he asked delegates, who responded with a resounding yes.
Najib stressed that enforcement of the law “must be fair”, in the interest of creating “a more peaceful, stable and harmonious country”.
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