Stop using 3R to justify keeping Sedition Act, LFL tells govt

 

Lawyers for Liberty has urged the government to stop using race, religion and royalty (3R) to justify the continued existence of the Sedition Act 1948.

Its director Zaid Malek said the justification is a deception unto the people, who were promised reforms when Pakatan Harapan came to power.

“For this government, it seems that 3R has become the excuse for every infringement of civil liberties.

“Every broken promise of reform is justified on grounds of 3R. This excuse is a deception upon the people,” Zaid (above) said in a statement today.

This was in response to Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail who said that the cabinet had two weeks ago given the green light to initiate the process of amending the Sedition Act, to help the government curtail the provocations on 3R.

Zaid added that the Sedition Act was an antiquated and draconian colonial-era legislation that has threatened personal and political freedom in the country.

He stressed that Putrajaya should not use the royal institution, as well as race and religion, to justify the law’s continued existence.

“There is just no way to salvage the Sedition Act; the risk of it being used against the rakyat is far too great.

“It is an appalling betrayal for the Harapan-led government to refuse to repeal the Sedition Act now that they are in power. They had for so long promised to do so while in the opposition.

“Their previous position on the Sedition Act contained no reservations about protecting the royals, race or religion, and there is no reason for that stance to change now that they are in power. To change that stance now is just hypocrisy and cynical opportunism,” Zaid said. - Mkini