Five years on, minister says plan for National Harmony Act still alive

PARLIAMENT | The planned National Harmony Act, which was announced more than five years ago, has yet to materialise.

However, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Joseph Kurup (photo) said the proposed law has not been scrapped but was still being studied.

"It takes time because we need to take into account the (National Unity Consultative Council) blueprint," he said.

Joseph was responding to Parit Buntar MP Mujahid Yusof Rawa on what had happened to the proposed legislation which was intended to replace the Sedition Act 1948.

The National Unity Consultative Council (NUCC), of which Mujahid was part of, was formed to provide recommendations for the proposed National Harmony Act.

However, Mujahid pointed out that it had been two years since the NUCC was dissolved but no legislation on national harmony was in sight.

Joseph said one of the time-consuming points to consider was to avoid the proposed law from overlapping with other laws.

"One thing that is really time-consuming is we need to make sure the provisions of this Act does not duplicate with existing ones. Therefore, there are many other Acts that we need to look at," he said.

Najib had in 2012, announced plans for the National Harmony Act to replace the Sedition Act 1948.

Najib had said the new law was necessary to help manage the country's national fault lines and that it could also help foster national cohesion and unity, as well as religious harmony.

However, the proposal faced pushbacks from right-wing and conservative groups.- Mkini