IPOH, April 29 — Authorities should stop its investigation on an academic forum on the Rome Statute held at the Universiti Malaya last Saturday, young DAP leaders have said.
Subang DAP Socialist Youth (DAPSY) chief Farhan Haziq Mohamed and Lim Kit Siang’s political secretary Syahredzan Johan said in a statement they disagreed with the use of the Sedition Act in investigating the case and urge the authority to use a different Act if really necessary.
“Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Mohamamad Fuzi Harun said that the investigation on the ‘Malaysia and the Rome Statute’ forum was open under the Sedition Act.
“The forum is an academic forum, which discussed the issue of the Rome Statute academically, in accordance with the government’s effort to allow the freedom of academic in higher learning institutions. On this basis, we protest police’s decision to start the investigation,” he said.
The Rome Statute is an international treaty that established an international court for and aims to end impunity on the four most serious crimes known internationally – genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and the crime of aggression.
Farhan said such academic forums should not be abstained by the law as it is seen as an effort to stop public discourse on the issue of Statue Rome.
“Even though police reports were lodged by several individuals, police should not investigate the case as it is baseless as the forum is an academic forum.
“People have a right to not agree with Statue Rome, but it’s not appropriate to pressure police to take action on the individuals who practice their rights to discuss the issue,” he said.
Farhan also urges the government to expedite the abolishment of the Sedition Act as how it was promised in the Pakatan Harapan 14th General Election manifesto.
“The Act is an abusive and oppressive colonial law and an unwarranted restriction on the fundamental freedoms, which is enshrined in the Federal Constitution,” he said. — — — —
