We’re not hooligans, there’s no bias in sedition arrests, says Zahid

Zahid reminded Malaysians that any move to repeal the Sedition Act and replace it with a new Act, will take into account feedback and proposal from all stakeholders, including the opposition. - The Malaysian Insider pic, November 24, 2014.Every arrest made under the Sedition Act has been done with the right procedure and justification, the Home Minister said today.

Speaking at the Umno International Forum 2014 in Kuala Lumpur today, Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi denied the accusation that the government was using the Sedition Act 1948 to silence its critics, and was coming down hard on the opposition in order to stay in power, Bernama reported today.

"The government is no hooligan. We do not simply apprehend anybody without concrete proof and tangible evidence," Zahid said, according to the national news agency.

He added that in spite of all the criticisms made against the arrests and action taken on those who spread hate speeches, lies and slanders, the majority of Malaysians supported the government's move, as these groups posed a danger to national security.

Referrring to the forum's topic "Hyperconnectivity and the Social Media: Empowering citizens to build or divide a nation" Zahid said Malaysia was under threat by those who used the Internet to spew lies, slander and hate speeches.

Stating that Malaysia's position having a multi-racial and multi-religious population warranted the government to monitor Internet activities and put a check to such unpleasant deeds.

According to Bernama, Zahid, who is also Umno vice-president, said the government had to be strict in stamping out any element deemed to be disastrous to nation building.

He also warned that every Malaysian must observe the law, rules and regulations that bound them from making any provocative and racist statement as the consequences would be unbearable for everyone to take.

"We had learnt from the 1969 racial riot, and we had also learnt from several incidents involving communal and religious extremists. All these had summoned us to enact stringent laws to control the house from collapsing," Bernama quoted him as saying.

He reiterated that there was no bias in the way the government was enforcing the laws and that it would not compromise when it came to national security and stability.

Touching on the promise to repeal the Sedition Act and introduce a new act by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, Zahid said that some provisions of the Sedition Act had to be retained in order to make the new act stricter as a deterrence to those who tried to cross the line.

"In doing so, the government will take into account feedback and proposal from all sections of the community, including that of the opposition," he said, according to Bernama.

- TMI