M'sia must be firm in implementing Sedition Act, says ex-judge

KUALA LUMPUR: It is pointless to have a law like the Sedition Act if it is not enforced just because the government is worried about the opinion of certain parties that it could be abused.Former chief of justice Tun Abdul Hamid Mohamad said Malaysia should be firm in its decision to implement the Sedition Act and not be easily influenced by any party who try to make it fail.

"If we want to abolish the Sedition Act because we are afraid it will be abused, that will be the same as someone who does not want to sell a high-powered car because he is afraid that people will speed.

"So we have to implement it. At present, non-Muslims can easily say anything about Islam because we are not taking firm action. That is why they are so daring," he told Bernama.

Abdul Hamid was presenting a working paper on "Malay Unity Crucial for the Creation of a Muslim Nation" at a discussion on Malaysia's Position as a Muslim Nation: A Debate" organised by the Institute of Islamic Understanding Malaysia (Ikim), here Wednesday.

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On Nov 27, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak,who is also Umno president, announced that the Sedition Act would be retained with amendments.

He said this in the policy speech at the 2014 Umno general assembly.

However, United States vice-president Joe Biden and United States Ambassador to Malaysia, Joseph Y Yun, crtiicised the decision.

Abdul Hamid said Malaysia should emulate Singapore which was firm in implementing the Sedition Act and the people did not dare to break the law.

"In fact, Singapore has retained the Internal Security Act (ISA). Singapore was asked why did it not abolish the ISA? Their answer: "We never abused it".

The Singapore constitution does not say that Islam is the official religion.

"But when two Chinese Christians distributed pamphlets to the Malays, they were arrested and sentenced under the Sedition Act...Why can't we do that?" he asked.

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Abdul Hamid said the Malays and Muslims should unite regardless of political parties because if not, they would be divided and lose out.

They should find ways to unite or cooperate at least at the federal level in order to continue defending the principles of the Malays and Muslims.

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