KUALA LUMPUR, May 16 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak is painting human rights as being antithetical to Islam to hide his administration’s failure to protect civil liberties, a DAP lawmaker said today.

DAP’s Bukit Bendera MP Zairil Khir Johari said the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) government has long used “oppressive” laws and policies to curb Malaysians’ right to freedom of assembly, freedom of speech and expression, and the right to free and fair elections.

“Only repressive regimes have reason to fear human rights because they violate them,” Zairil said in a statement today.

“As a leader, Najib should not shirk his responsibilities by simply dismissing human rights as a Western demon that threatens Islam.

“This attempt to create a bogeymen in order to cover up his government’s gross abuse of human rights is laughable when the whole world knows the truth,” added the DAP assistant national publicity secretary.

Zairil also criticised Najib for failing to repeal the Sedition Act despite pledging in 2012 to do so.

He noted that two years after the prime minister’s pledge, the administration has not only failed to repeal the law but has been using it to cow its political opponents.

“Most recently against the late Bukit Gelugor MP and DAP chairman Karpal Singh and now against DAP’s Seputeh MP Teresa Kok and PKR’s Pandan MP Rafizi Ramli,” he said.

The federal lawmaker also pointed out that although the Internal Security Act (ISA) was abolished, the Najib administation enacted the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act and the Prevention of Crime Act in its place, a law that reintroduced detention without trial.

He further censured Putrajaya for its “dismal” record on deaths in custody, noting that eight deaths have already been reported in the first five months of the year.

“If the rate continues, it will soon surpass last year’s tally of 13 custodial deaths,” said Zairil.

The Muslim lawmaker said he could not imagine how human rights values like justice, equality and freedom could be a threat to Islam.

“In fact, most Islamic scholars would argue that these are the very values that make up the foundations of the religion,” said Zairil.

Najib said this Tuesday that Islam is now being tested by new threats under the guise of humanism, secularism, liberalism and human rights.

Yesterday, the prime minister touched again on the evils of liberalism, telling the country’s youths to steer clear of liberal and pluralistic beliefs that would destroy the country.

“The youth have to stay away from extreme beliefs which can bring harm to the country and yourselves.

“They also need to avoid being trapped in the liberal or pluralism belief.

“The best approach is to hold on to moderation,” he said in Malay during his speech before presenting awards in conjunction with National Youth Day 2014 at the Putrajaya International Convention Centre here.

In popular culture, liberalism is understood to be a political philosophy that champions civil liberties and equality, while religious pluralism is a view that promotes the co-existence of diverse religions.

But the two terms have been co-opted by Muslim groups here to denote what they allege to be attacks against Islam.

They contend that liberalism is a guise to foist lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) lifestyles on Malaysians while pluralism is a front to encourage Muslim apostasy.