KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 1 — The Washington Post has urged President Barack Obama to act on his own pledge to defend democracy by focusing on Malaysia, an ally, citing recent events in the country such as the recent wide use of sedition laws against government critics.

An editorial in the well-regarded paper said Obama’s administration has been slow and cautious in dealing with Malaysia where the need for action is urgent.

“One of the most urgent (need to defend democracy) lies in Malaysia, a US ally that has launched an extraordinary crackdown on opposition leaders, academics and journalists,” the paper said.

“..if Mr. Obama is genuinely willing to incur “friction” with allies in defense of human rights, now is the time to do it in Malaysia,” it added.

The paper noted that over the past two months, Malaysia’s government has charged nearly two dozen activists under the colonial-era sedition law, adding that the government is prosecuting critics merely for speaking out, publishing articles or uploading videos.

It also cited the revival of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s sodomy charge which is currently on appeal at the country’s highest court. If his appeal fails Anwar faces jail and a ban from politics.

The editorial said that the ruling coalition appears to have set out to crush the opposition before the next election, due in 2017 after losing the popular vote in the election last year.

It added that against this backdrop it is not hard to guess why Malaysia’s pledge to repeal the sedition law has faltered.

“The campaign is particularly destructive because Malaysia, unlike many other majority Muslim countries, does not currently face an internal terrorist challenge, though some Malaysians are known to have travelled to Syria to join the Islamic State, it said.

“By eliminating peaceful means of opposition, Mr. Najib (Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak) risks making extremist options more attractive,” the editorial argued.