KUALA LUMPUR, April 12 — Debate on hudud can continue and should not be misconstrued as sedition, MCA president Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said, although the newly-amended Sedition Act now considers religious insults a crime.
Explaining, he said opposing the implementation of the controversial Islamic law is not the same as insulting or mocking Islam.
“No, they are two different matters. The one on Sedition Act is mainly to ensure that you don’t have intention to harm or to inciting hate among various religions,” he told reporters when met on the sidelines of the 11th Malaysia Plan Workshop at Wisma MCA here.
“We are against the implementation of the hudud law because it is against the Federal Constitution but I think they are different matters,” he added.
He said he is also convinced that the debate will go on because of PAS’s insistence to enforce the Islamic law in Kelantan.
Amendments to the Sedition Act 1948 were passed in Parliament on Thursday after a gruelling 12-hour debate. Once approved by Senate and gazetted as part of the country’s law books, those who insult and mock any religion will find themselves in the dock for causing disharmony and threatening public order.
A sub-clause in the law makes it an offence for any person to “promote any feelings of ill will, hostility or hatred between persons or groups of person on the ground of religion”.
“This is in line with the intention of the Government to protect the sanctity of religions professed by multi-religious society in Malaysia. An act of insulting and ridiculing any religion may cause disharmony and threaten public order,” said the Sedition (Amendment) Act 2015 Bill that was approved.
The Bill also made it clear that the religion of Islam that is protected under the law strictly refers to “hukum syarak”, or Islamic teachings which are “codified under any written law”, and does not include “deviant teachings”.
Putrajaya previously pledged to repeal the Sedition Act 1948 that critics say is used to stifle political opposition and dissent, but later announced in November last year that it will be retained and expanded instead.
Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi also vowed last month to ensure the controversial Sedition Act 1948 will be used to defend Islam, the Malays and the rulers for as long as he remains home minister.
