Sedition Act repeal rollback wasn’t raised in Cabinet, says MIC deputy chief

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 27 — MIC deputy president Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam said today the Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition partner had not been informed ahead of today’s surprise announcement that the controversial Sedition Act 1948 would be retained.

Dr Subramaniam, who is also health minister, told reporters in Parliament that the decision by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s to keep the colonial-era legislation criticised as a tool to crack down on dissent had not been raised in Cabinet discussions to date.

“Not yet, we will discuss it later. I don’t remember any discussion with the component parties,” he said.

Dr Subramaniam said he believed Najib, who is also Umno president, had decided against repealing the Act as pledged in 2012, following feedback and views.

“The prime minister also did say they will review on certain areas and strengthen areas which are needed, probably liberalise on things related to political dissent and thinking so that it is allowed on a healthy basis,” he added.

“The people who don’t want it, are saying that there are clauses that doesn’t allow them to give their views,” added the Segamat MP.

Dr Subramaniam said MIC will make its official stand on keeping the controversial legislation, though he conceded that the party’s stand will not make a difference.

Gerakan president Datuk Mah Siew Keong told Malay Mail Online that the party still hopes that the Sedition Act will eventually be replaced with a comprehensive national harmony legislation.

He pointed out that it took more than 20 years before the Internal Security Act, which allowed for indefinite detention without trial, was repealed in 2012.

“Gerakan believes that the Sedition Act must be implemented fairly and judiciously,” Mah said in a text message.

The minister in the Prime Minister’s Department said public dissatisfaction over the use of the Sedition Act stemmed from “the perceived selective use of the act and also its overuse especially on academics and public intellectuals”.

The notion was further entrenched when the Putrajaya failed to charge the head of Malay rights group Perkasa, Datuk Ibrahim Ali, for his call to burn Malay-language bibles, said the Teluk Intan MP.

If a new law is introduced, Mah said the framework must include a set of punitive and positive measures to ensure societal stability but at the same time promotes national unity and harmony.

“In line with the growing tide of democratisation, I believe this will eventually happen when all parties are ready and open-minded about a need for a new set of laws that confronts the current and impending challenges to national unity and harmony,” said Mah.

Like Gerakan, United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Organisation (Upko) President Datuk Madius Tangau, settled for Najib’s promise to strengthen the Sedition Act despite having insisted on its abolition in the past.

“If the Sedition Act is amended so that anyone who insults another religion; will have action taken against them in court; and its implementation is carried out with integrity and without bias, then Upko has no problem supporting the continuance of the Act,” said Madius, the MP for Tuaran.

Najib in his policy speech at the start of the 65th Umno General Assembly today, declared that the Sedition Act will continue to exist after consultation with party leaders, NGOs and grassroots members.

He also announced that the Act will be strengthened with two extra provisions: One prohibiting insults against all religions, and the other prohibiting talks of Sabah and Sarawak seceding from Malaysia.

“I hope this will not just be cosmetics. If they do it right, then I will be happy,” Ibrahim added, urging Putrajaya to incorporate suggestions made by the recent Malay rights gathering, the National Unity Convention.

In the convention, former Chief Justice Tun Abdul Hamid Mohamad had urged for the insertion of clauses protecting articles in the Federal Constitution concerning Islam as the religion of the federation, the rights of the indigenous people, the Royal Malay Regiment, and Malay reserve lands.

Najib had pledged to do away with the controversial Sedition Act 1948 three times in the span of two years, and replace it with a National Harmony Act, with the most recent occasion on September 5.

But with growing pressure from conservatives within his own party, Umno, Najib said recently that the government may not repeal the Sedition Act after all, if replacement laws were inferior.