Retaining Sedition Act betrays reform promises, rights group tells govt

Human rights group Lawyers for Liberty (LFL) today slammed the federal government for planning to review the Sedition Act and amend it to protect the royal institution instead of repealing the law altogether.

In a statement, LFL campaign coordinator Nabila Khairuddin said when Pakatan Harapan and Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim were in the opposition, they promised that the Sedition Act would be abolished when they got into power.

“In power now, they are brazenly singing a different tune.

“It is a betrayal of the promise of reform for this government to now back-pedal on their promise to repeal the Sedition Act by purportedly qualifying its use to only matters involving royalty.

“No such qualifications or conditions were made by Anwar (above) and other Harapan leaders when they called for the Sedition Act’s repeal.

“A law such as the Sedition Act that is anathema to fundamental rights cannot be amended but must be extinguished,” she said.

Nabila’s statement came in response to Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Azalina Othman Said, who on Tuesday said the cabinet has agreed in principle to study amendments to the Sedition Act 1948.

The minister reportedly said that the review is to ensure the legislation is only used to protect the royal institution from acts of provocation.

According to Nabila, the sedition law enacted during the colonial era was once used to oppress national freedom fighters and it now belongs to the “trash heap of history”.

It is appalling and unacceptable for the Harapan-led government plotting to give the law a new lease of life, she added.

“It is necessary and timely for this government to shed the remnants of colonial-era legislation and embrace a progressive legal framework that values public discourse and critical discussions, irrespective of the subject matter, to ensure that people can express their opinions freely and responsibly without the fear of persecution or reprisals.

“We, therefore, urge the government to drop the plan to retain the Sedition Act for matters related to the rulers and instead repeal the Sedition Act in its entirety.

“By doing so, the government will show its commitment and sincerity in upholding freedom of speech in accordance with the Federal Constitution and international human rights standards,” Nabila said. - Mkini