Don’t shame Malaysia, rights group tells govt

Human Rights Watch says the case against Teresa Kok should be dropped

PETALING JAYA: The Malaysian government faces international embarrassment by pursuing its sedition case against DAP vice chair Teresa Kok over a satirical video she posted on the Internet last February, according to Human Rights Watch (HRW).

“The case against Teresa Kok is just the latest instance of a senior opposition politician being hauled up on arbitrary charges for simply being an opposition politician,” HRW Asia director Phil Robertson said in a media statement.

He urged the prosecution to drop the case.

He noted that Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak promised to push for the repeal of the Sedition Act two years ago and had since repeated the pledge on a number of occasions, especially during the run-up to the 13th general election.

Yet, he added, the government was continuing to use the law for political reasons.

At a hearing in the Sessions Court yesterday, Kok applied to transfer the case to the High Court. Court president Norashidah Awang set Sept 2 for hearing submissions.

Kok’s video, titled “Onederful Malaysia CNY 2014”, was produced as part of Chinese New Year festivities. Several pro-Umno groups condemned it as an insult to Malays and Muslims.

Robertson said Malaysian authorities were “setting a new low” in their violation of free expression by “bringing criminal charges against an opposition politician” over a satirical video.

“The government is obviously not serious about its commitment to revoke the antiquated and abusive Sedition Act,” he said.

“Prosecutors should save the government international embarrassment by dropping this case immediately.”