Putrajaya has assured Dewan Rakyat that there would be no abuse of power in enforcing the amended Sedition Act as cases would only be brought to court once the Attorney-General (A-G) has 90% proof in any case.
Home Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said this was why not all who were arrested and investigated by the police were subsequently charged in court.
“We have had many cases where the police started investigations but prosecution is not carried out by the A-G.
“The A-G only starts a court case when there is 90% proof with credible witnesses,” said Zahid last night when wrapping up the debate amendments to the Sedition Act 1948.
He had been responding to concerns raised by the opposition that the definitions of seditious acts and “seditious tendencies” in the law were vague and open to abuse by the authorities.
Zahid, however, said that the definition of “seditious tendencies” was spelled out in the Act.
This explanation was refuted by the opposition, who claimed that in the law, the courts were left to decide what was seditious.
Amendments to the Sedition Act would provide for a jail term between three and seven years, and make calling for Sabah and Sarawak to secede a crime.
While the Sedition Act has been criticised by the United Nations High Commissioner on Human Rights, Zahid said the law was necessary to protect public order in multi-racial Malaysia.
“We don’t need to follow world bodies when it comes to creating laws to protect public order. This law is to ensure that our freedom of speech is not abused.
“We live in an age where online communications is tearing apart relations between different religions and races. So world bodies know about this.”
Zahid also attempted to refute allegations that there would be no selective prosecutions under the new law.
This is despite the fact that more than 100 opposition politicians, activists and academicians have been detained and charged under the Act, as said by Pakatan Rakyat MPs.
The opposition accused the authorities of selective prosecution as Barisan Nasional politicians, who have made racially-charged statements, have never been investigated.
“The A-G does not do any selective prosecution. Anyone who is caught committing crimes will have action taken against them.
“The A-G is not influenced by any man or party.”
- TMI
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