Sultan Selangor Sharafuddin Idris Shah has expressed his dismay at the actions of those whom he said have been openly insulting, belittling, instigating and inciting hatred towards Malay rulers.
What is more, the ruler said, was that several of those inciting hatred towards rulers were themselves Malays.
“What is more upsetting is that the incitement to hate the Malay rulers is being carried out by some Malays themselves,” the ruler stated in his speech during a breaking of fast event in Klang today.
Sultan Sharafuddin stated that the royal institution was committed to ensuring that the position of Malays and Islam was preserved as well as the position of other races in the country.
The sultan added that the royal institution would abide by the constitution and that it still had a role to play in the constitutional monarchy (raja berperlembagaan) as practised in the country.
“The spread of this culture (of inciting hatred) among certain quarters must be stopped so the rakyat is not instigated to hate the Malay rulers to the point that their loyalty to the Malay rulers is eroded,” he said.
Delay in appointment
While the state ruler did not name anyone in his speech, police have stated that they are investigating several individuals under the Sedition Act 1948 over alleged statements made against the rulers.
They include Bersatu supreme council member A Kadir Jasin and activist Hishamuddin Rais.
This pertains to alleged claims which appeared in their respective blogs concerning the expenditure of Sultan Muhammad V in the 16 months since he became the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.
Kadir had urged people to judge him for what he wrote on the matter, instead of depending on other people’s interpretation of what he posted, while Hishammuddin lodged a report stating the article had been uploaded onto his blog without his knowledge.
This follows a debate which arose due to an apparent delay by the monarchy in accepting Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s choice of Tommy Thomas as the new attorney-general as it was claimed they were pushing for a Muslim candidate.
However, the Agong later consented to the appointment. — M’kini
Wrong to investigate Kadir and Hishamuddin under Sedition Act, says Suhakam
THE Human Rights Commission of Malaysia questioned the decision to investigate veteran newsman Kadir Jasin and social activist Hishamuddin Rais under the Sedition Act 1948 for their recent statements.
Suhakam chairman Razali Ismail said that the current government had promised to revoke the many oppressive laws of the previous government, which included the Sedition Act 1948.
“The authorities must refrain from using such laws as a means of stifling public debate and right to information. Malaysians must have the right to know and question how government money is spent in the pursuit of transparency and accountability,” he said.
No issue should be sacrosanct in the context of our democratisation, said Razali.
Yesterday, Inspector-General of Police Mohamad Fuzi Harun confirmed that Kadir was being probed under the Sedition Act and for defamation, over a blog post claiming that some RM256.9 million was spent for the upkeep and personal expenditure of Sultan Muhammad V in the 16 months since he became the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.
Hishamuddin was summoned to the Sri Petaling police station today to have his statement recorded over an allegedly seditious article on his blog.
Former Utusan Malaysia editor-in-chief Johan Jaafar said he felt disturbed by Fuzi’s statement that Kadir, who is also a Bersatu supreme council member, would be investigated under the Sedition Act.
“There are many other laws that can be applied to charge Kadir, if need be. To investigate or charge him under the Sedition Act is totally against the spirit of today’s Malaysia. Kadir probably got his numbers wrong or made remarks deemed ‘disparaging’ by some people in his blog post. But he must be given the chance to prove his facts, and must be held responsible for his statement,” Johan said.
“The fact remains that we are living in a different Malaysia today. No citizen must be threatened and intimidated by laws meant to silence those who wish to speak up,” he said.
Describing the IGP’s statement as further warranting the abolishment of an archaic, repressive, and draconian Sedition Act, Johan said: “The police must take into account the reform agenda of the Pakatan Harapan government to review or abolish laws and provisions under certain laws that are against the spirit of free speech and new openness.
“It is ironic that Kadir, being a member of a party that went to the polls promising to abolish such laws, is to be investigated under the Sedition Act.” – Bernama,
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