Fear and loathing rise over Putrajaya’s sedition blitz

Putrajaya's recent sedition blitz against dissidents is a black mark against Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak's administration. – The Malaysian Insider file pic, September 18, 2014.

Putrajaya's recent sedition blitz against dissidents has succeeded in cowing Malaysians from speaking out, especially on issues deemed sensitive, say observers following Tuesday’s public forum whose organisers asked for no media coverage.

They said this climate of fear was precisely why the 1948 Sedition Act had to go and be replaced with legislation that was fair to all.

Political analyst Wan Saiful Wan Jan, saying that he was not surprised by the forum organisers’ request, was nevertheless disappointed that it had come to a stage where people were now worried about speaking up and discussing important issues openly.

"The recent sedition blitz has succeeded in creating an atmosphere of fear among many people.

"Even I am careful now when I write statements or answer questions, and try to find the best ways of saying something without actually saying it," said the head of think tank Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs (IDEAS).

However, the silver lining to this cloud is that the current clime of fear would strengthen public's resolve to see the abolishment of the colonial-era Sedition Act, said Wan Saiful (pic).

"The more people fear speaking up, the more they want the act to be removed," he added.

At Tuesday’s forum, former Umno minister Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah, who chaired it, said the current climate in the country was unfortunate and had left many in a difficult position.

"We still have the Sedition Act, and sometimes people tend to misinterpret. I know reporters will report based on what you hear and what you see, but readers may not understand it,

and then suddenly some people get into trouble for what he or she said with good intention,” he said on the decision to ask the media not to report the proceedings.

Putrajaya has been on a sedition blitz against opposition leaders, a journalist, an academic, activists and two ulama, charging critics in an attempt to silent dissent.

Critics have questioned why certain right-wing groups and politicians, who had made more seditious remarks in the past, have been spared the sedition dragnet.

Political analyst Dr Lim Teck Ghee felt that Malaysia was approaching a situation where vocal racists and religious bigots could get away with saying or writing with impunity – often to the extent of inciting racial violence while moderates were charged for relatively innocuous statements or speeches.

"This is a travesty of justice, which is unprecedented in our political history. It's also a black mark which will permanently blot Najib's administration," said the director of the Centre for Policy Initiatives.

Lim said most Malaysians tried to be politically correct and restrained in public when touching on sensitive issues and while social media had resulted in some crude and emotional ranting that should not be a pretext for clamping down on those who were from the opposition or were not deemed as pro-establishment.

In referring to the forum organiser's request for no media coverage on its proceedings, Lim said it is a dismal reflection of the state of public discourse in the country.

"This type of censorship indicates the degree of political repression, especially of those whose views are opposed to those of the government.

“Even then we can see double standard at play as religious and racial bigots aligned to the establishment are allowed free rein and expression in various vernacular papers without fear of being pulled up under the Sedition Act."

Civil society movement Negara-ku chairman Zaid Kamaruddin, while saying he understood the request of the organiser who was perhaps worried that the participants might self-censor or get into trouble with the law, noted that such a move would entrench the climate of fear.

"I think we the rakyat should not be cowed and should continue to exercise our right to point out mistakes and weaknesses of our government and the system," he said.

"We cannot build a better Malaysia with our mouths shut."

Since Putrajaya was still waffling on the move to repeal the sedition law, Zaid said Malaysians needed to look into the law closely in order to understand what should and should not be deemed seditious.

"Every good law can be misused, there is no easy solution. I suggest that it is time to consider making the Attorney-General answerable and accountable to Parliament," he said.

Currently, the A-G is a civil servant and is only accountable to the prime minister and the Cabinet.

- TMI