Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi today said he was against abolishing the Sedition Act, expressing concern that such a move would mean there would be no law to regulate seditious content.
“Previously, due to demands the Internal Security Act (ISA) was abolished, due to demands the Emergency Ordinance (EO) was abolished.
“Previously, due to demands the Internal Security Act (ISA) was abolished, due to demands the Emergency Ordinance (EO) was abolished.
"I think the Sedition Act does not need to be abolished. Otherwise, what is there left?“
"If we abolish, all these (sedition) would be legitimised. Be it slander, accusations, condemnation, they would be encouraged. I think this is not what democracy requires,” he told a press conference at the Utusan Malaysiaheadquarters in Kuala Lumpur this morning.
Rise in crime rate due to abolition of EO
Zahid drew parallels to the alleged rise in the crime rate following the abolition of the EO.“I think whatever the demands, I feel the police should have the power to enforce the laws including when the EO was abolished.
“Look at the situation in society now, the crime rate is increasing,” he said.
New law to replace EO
As such, Zahid said the government was now in the process of creating a new law to replace the EO that was repealed last year.
He added that the government would be open about the new law and will hold dialogues with various NGOs for feedback before the law is tabled.
Zahid said the new law was necessary in the absence of the ISA and EO.
The abolition of the EO has been blamed for the recent series of violent crimes as several detainees had been released when the law was repealed.
Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak had on the eve of Malaysia Day in 2011 announced the abolition of the ISA and the EO which allow for detention without trial.
The laws were eventually repealed in early 2012, and on July 11 that year, Najib made another surprise by announcing that the Sedition Act would be replaced with a National Harmony Act.
Since then, the government had used the Sedition Act against several opponents including PKR vice-president Tian Chua, PAS member Tamrin Ghafar, social activist Harris Ibrahim and student activist Adam Adli Mohd Halim.
However, Najib in an interview with BBC World News on Tuesday defended the use of the law, stating that it was only used against those undermining the stability of the country.
Nonetheless, he reiterated his pledge made almost a year ago to change the Sedition Act.
“We will amend the Sedition Act but, at the same time, there are certain provisions that will ensure Malaysia will continue to be a country that’s peaceful and harmonious,” he was quoted as saying.
As such, Zahid said the government was now in the process of creating a new law to replace the EO that was repealed last year.
He added that the government would be open about the new law and will hold dialogues with various NGOs for feedback before the law is tabled.
Zahid said the new law was necessary in the absence of the ISA and EO.
The abolition of the EO has been blamed for the recent series of violent crimes as several detainees had been released when the law was repealed.
Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak had on the eve of Malaysia Day in 2011 announced the abolition of the ISA and the EO which allow for detention without trial.
The laws were eventually repealed in early 2012, and on July 11 that year, Najib made another surprise by announcing that the Sedition Act would be replaced with a National Harmony Act.
Since then, the government had used the Sedition Act against several opponents including PKR vice-president Tian Chua, PAS member Tamrin Ghafar, social activist Harris Ibrahim and student activist Adam Adli Mohd Halim.However, Najib in an interview with BBC World News on Tuesday defended the use of the law, stating that it was only used against those undermining the stability of the country.
Nonetheless, he reiterated his pledge made almost a year ago to change the Sedition Act.
“We will amend the Sedition Act but, at the same time, there are certain provisions that will ensure Malaysia will continue to be a country that’s peaceful and harmonious,” he was quoted as saying.
Malaysiakini
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