KUALA LUMPUR, April 9 — The United Nations (UN) urged Putrajaya today to withdraw the proposed amendments to the Sedition Act 1948 that the global body said would “seriously” undermine freedom of expression.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein also expressed concern at the recent passage of the Prevention of Terrorism Bill (Pota) in Parliament that allows for indefinite detention without trial, saying it contains “serious human rights shortcomings” as the authorities are granted sweeping powers without sufficient safeguards against abuses.

“The UN Human Rights Office has long urged Malaysia to either repeal the 1948 Sedition Act or to bring it in line with international human rights standards,” Zeid said in a statement issued from Geneva.

“It is very disappointing that the Malaysian government is now proposing to make a bad law worse,” he added.

The High Commissioner told Malaysia to ensure that its leadership role as Asean chair is backed by a “firm” commitment to protect human rights.

Under the Sedition (Amendments) Bill 2015, those who cause bodily harm or property damage with their seditious remarks will now face jail terms of between three and 20 years. Those convicted of general sedition offences face imprisonment of between three and seven years.

The government also tabled proposed revisions to the Bill in Parliament today that make it an offence to disseminate seditious speech, with a civil liberties lawyer saying that this means social media users will be held liable for sharing seditious remarks on Facebook or retweeting them, even if they are not the maker of such remarks.

“New provisions for travel bans are also worrying as they may allow for arbitrary restrictions against individuals on the basis of an ill-defined law,” Zeid noted.

“These proposals are particularly worrying given that the Sedition Act has been applied in many instances to curb the legitimate exercise of freedom of expression in Malaysia — including through the arrests of individuals for merely tweeting their criticism of government policies and judicial decisions,” the High Commissioner added.

He noted that at least 78 people have been investigated or charged under the Sedition Act since 2014, with at least 36 people being probed or prosecuted under the colonial-era law this year alone.

The police have investigated several opposition lawmakers under the Sedition Act for their tweets criticising the Federal Court’s February 10 verdict that sentenced Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to five years’ jail for sodomy.

PKR MP Nurul Izzah Anwar was also investigated for sedition over a speech she read out on Anwar’s behalf in Parliament.

Zeid told Putrajaya today to review the cases of all who have been charged with sedition.

“Silencing dissent does not nurture social stability, but an open democratic space does,” he said.

“Curtailing the legitimate exercise of human rights in the name of fighting terrorism has been shown, time and again, to backfire and to only lead to festering discontent and a strong sense of injustice,” Zeid added.