Zahid: Abolition of Sedition Act may lead to Constitution dispute

Home Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi today explained why the Sedition Act 1948 must be retained amid mounting pressure by the opposition and NGOs that it needs to be repealed.

Reiterating what he had said a day earlier, the minister made it clear that the government has no plan whatsoever to abolish it although a few provisions could be amended.

PUTRAJAYA: The abolition of the Sedition Act 1948 may lead to the dispute of four core aspects enshrined in the Federal Constitution, said Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
According to Zahid, the four core aspects are the special rights of Malays, the status of Malay rulers, the status of Islam as the Federal religion and the status of Bahasa Melayu as the national language.
The Home Minister said he wanted the Act retained so that these will not be questioned.
“The Cabinet cannot decide to abolish (the Act) but (it can propose) to amend.
“If the Sedition Act is abolished wholly, (people) will have the rights to touch on these four areas although these are enshrined in the Constitution.
“I will not compromise if there are parties who want to touch on any of these four main aspects of the Constitution. 
“Those who do, must be charged under the existing Sedition Act 1964,” said Dr Ahmad Zahid on Sunday after launching the commemoration of the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking here.

His statement would surely meet with sharp criticism from the opposition and the pressure groups but the minister said he would not budge from defending it, a move seen by many as paramount in the upkeep of the country's stability after ISA and the Emergency Ordinance were repealed.

Let's hear to what the opposition has to comment about this but I believe Zahid and team are ready to shut 'em up again!