Lawyers for Liberty (LFL) has urged the Perikatan Nasional government to repeal the Sedition Act and Section 233(1) of the Communications and Multimedia Act (CMA).
"Unlike the former Pakatan Harapan government, the new PN government is not bound by any manifesto.
"Nevertheless, we urge the new government to seriously consider the repeal of the Sedition Act and the amendment of the CMA," said LFL legal coordinator Zaid Malek (photo) in a statement today.
He added the government should also place a moratorium on all investigations under these two laws.
Zaid was commenting on the police probing former minister Dr Xavier Jayakumar under the Sedition Act and CMA over a video clip where he allegedly said the recent Dewan Rakyat sitting would be "worthless" and "rubbish".
The Harapan government had placed a moratorium on both laws in Oct 2018 but lifted this after chaotic riots erupted at a temple in Subang Jaya a month later.
Zaid said the use of these laws against alleged wrongdoers is a result of Harapan not moving to repeal them.
In the three-minute clip, Jayakumar was allegedly said, "This Parliament will be rubbish. This Parliament sitting is worthless.
"We are going to be there for one hour to hear the Yang Di-Pertuan Agong's speech, and after that asked to go home, all this under the pretext of Covid-19."
He explained that the government was afraid to face opposition lawmakers as well as the tabling of a no-confidence vote against Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin.
The one-day Parliament sitting had caused an uproar among opposition lawmakers who had demanded that it be extended to eight days.
Putrajaya, however, insisted on the decision after taking into consideration the Covid-19 pandemic.
The sitting was held for one hour on May 18 with the only agenda being the Agong's address. - Mkini
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