Opposition says move regressive
Published on: Saturday, November 29, 2014
KUALA LUMPUR: Putrajaya's U-turn on its 2012 pledge to repeal the Sedition Act 1948 will see Malaysians dragged back to the "days of the ISA", Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim warned, referring to the now-abolished Internal Security Act that has seen scores of anti-government dissidents thrown behind bars without trial over the years.The Opposition Leader, who was an ISA detainee himself, flayed Datuk Seri Najib Razak for deciding against repealing the Sedition Act, and said this was proof that the Prime Minister is unable to stick to his reform agenda.He called the move a "regressive" one, and accused Najib of bowing to pressures from right-wing elements in ruling party Umno.ADVERTISEMENT "This is his failure as a leader, as PM and as president of Umno."His weak leadership has resulted in him caving in to demands of the right-wingers of his own party," Anwar said."This is a flip-flop, Najib reneged on his earlier promise."Najib declared that the Sedition Act 1948 will continue to exist, in an about-turn from his earlier pledge to repeal the colonial era law.ADVERTISEMENT 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.
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"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."At a time where Najib should be working towards unity in light of increasing (Islamic) militancy throughout the world, he is doing the exact opposite," Anwar added.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. 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 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 protect the royalty from insults.Selangor Pakatan Rakyat Mentri Besar Mohamed Azmin Ali (PKR-Bukit Antarabangsa) said this only shows Najib's true character as he had made the promise to repeal the colonial-era law many times. "He had promised to repeal the Sedition Act before the 13th General Election and had repeated it many times since then."Now, I think the people can see that Najib is only making promises to get votes and he neither has the courage nor the will to execute his transformation policies," Azmin said.He said the excuse of retaining the Sedition Act to defend the sanctity of Islam is also invalid as Islam is a sacred and pure religion that guarantees individual freedom unlike the Act, which Azmin said, is "unfair and immoral".State Speaker Hannah Yeoh said it was shameful for the Prime Minister to go back on his word and that he says one thing to Umno and another to the public."He says one thing when in Umno and appears as a moderate when he is with the public, making it very difficult for people to take him seriously. As a leader, you must stick to your promises," she said.Sarawak leaders and social media users were quick to take to Facebook to condemn Najib for reneging on his promise to repeal the Sedition Act 1948 and more importantly, the proposal to amend the act to criminalise calls for the secession of Sabah and Sarawak.Lina Soo, President of the non-governmental organisation Sarawak Association for Peoples' Aspiration (Sapa) that is now declared illegal, slammed the planned use of the Act against Sarawak and Sabah nationalists.She said the use of the Act against nationalists violated the United Nations charter on civil liberties."It would go against the people's right to decide their own civil liberty," Soo said.Sapa was deregistered on November 14 for "carrying out activities detrimental to the interests of the security of Malaysia and public order in the country".But Soo reiterated that Sapa did not call for secession when it embarked on a campaign to collect facts and information to prove the Putrajaya had rendered the Malaysia Agreement of 1963 invalid.The stipulates areas of autonomy for Sabah and Sarawak as the basis for the formation of Malaysia.If proven legally correct in an international court of law, Soo had said, the facts gathered could lead to the separation of Sarawak and Sabah from the peninsula.The Home Ministry declared Sapa an illegal organisation, according to Section 5 (1) of the Societies Act 1966.Sarawak Land Development Minister Tan Sri Dr James Masing said calls for secession were made by a small group of people and "we, however, shouldn't ignore their grouses"."Engage them and find out what are the causes of their unhappiness. As I had said before, don't kill the messenger or we may miss the message," Masing said when asked to respond to Najib's announcement."The Sedition Act was created to fight against those who wished to destabilise and take over power in Malaysia. In those days, it was the communists. Now it's different."If these threats still exist then it is only right that the Act is retained and fortified to strengthen it if needs be."Masing, however, warned that the use of the act "must not be done selectively based on racial or religious prejudices".He said the law should be implemented judiciously and with proper input from relevant authorities including the police, "without fear or favour".State DAP chief Chong Chien Jen, too, disagreed that the Act should be used against people advocating a breakaway."I had confronted (Deputy Home Minister Datuk Seri) Wan Junaidi (Tuanku Jaafar) in Parliament on this."Sharing Masing's view, Chong, who is also Bandar Kuching MP, said he had told Wan Junaidi that the government "should engage and address the concerns of this group of people rather than using suppression"."The reason behind this call for secession is mainly because of the general sentiment that Sabah and Sarawak have been unfairly treated and marginalised in the federation."This must be addressed said Chong.On Facebook, some Sarawak social media users reacted by drawing on history to show that secessionists thoughts were nothing new in Malaysia's history.The also posted a 1965 news cutting from The StraitsTimes of a report Malaya back then had similar ideas in dealing with secessionists.Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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The Straits Times had reported that "extremists in the Alliance, particularly Umno", wanted to have then People's Action Party leader Lee Kuan Yew arrested for advocating that Singapore leave the fledgling federation.The Alliance is the forerunner of Barisan Nasional and Lee was Singapore's first Prime Minister.