KUALA LUMPUR, May 27 — Putrajaya is still mulling the possibility of enacting the National Harmony Act and should it decide to draft the law, it will serve to compliment the existing Sedition Act, Datuk Seri Najib Razak said.

In a parliamentary reply to Kota Melaka MP Sim Tong Him, Najib explained that the government is “studying the need” for the Act.

“If the government decides to draft the National Harmony Act, the Act will serve as preventive measures before the Sedition Act 1948 is enforced,” said the reply.

Last year, Najib announced that the much-opposed Sedition Act will be kept but strengthened to protect the interests of all.

The decision killed off lingering hopes that the controversial law may be dumped as had been promised earlier by the government.

Najib also said the Act will be reinforced with two additional provisions governing the sanctity of Islam and outlawing secessionists in Sabah and Sarawak.

Following Najib’s announcement, Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said the government may consider dropping its earlier plans to introduce the National Harmony Bill.

Muhyiddin had said the federal government has yet to receive drafts of the proposed bills, which were supposed to be drawn up by the National Unity Consultative Council, and that they are “not sure if it is still needed”.

On April 10 this year, the Parliament passed a Bill to amend the Sedition Act 1948 after a record debate, effectively granting wider jurisdiction to the authorities to take action on speech or activities that are seen as seditious in nature.

In deflecting critics of the move, Najib said earlier this month that the tweaks were meant to allow a healthy democracy in Malaysia and not to stifle freedoms.

He also said that Putrajaya would adopt a no-compromise stand when it comes to matters that threaten national unity.