Najib wants seditious statement investigated

(Bernama) – Datuk Seri Najib Razak today asked the relevant authorities to investigate the alleged seditious statement made against a freelance religious speaker by an opposition Youth leader.

The prime minister said if the statement was found to be seditious, the offender could be charged under the Sedition Act 1948, as such a statement could cause tension among the different races in the country.

"The Sedition Act not only can be applied in cases of seditious statements made against Islam, but against other religions and races too.

"If we insult someone and the insult can cause friction (among the people), then action can be taken under the law," he told reporters here today.

Najib who had earlier chaired the Barisan Nasional Supreme Council meeting, was asked to comment on statements seen as anti-Islamic made by certain individuals of late.

Last Tuesday, DAP Youth chief Loke Siew Fook had issued a statement hitting out at freelance religious speaker Dr Mohd Ridhuan Tee Abdullah, in which he called him a racist.

Loke hit out at Mohd Ridhuan for the latter's statement on the status of the unborn child of the late political aide Teoh Beng Hock and his girlfriend as a child out of wedlock which Loke said, had emotionally hurt Teoh's family.

In light of this, Najib said all parties must take a moderate stance in discussing issues which touched on race and religion.

"We hope for moderation in our approaches, and we hope all concerned would lean towards that (moderation).

"And we cannot say that only one party has made extreme statements but we see others are also doing the same and which have hurt feelings," he said when asked whether the highly critical commentaries on issues appearing in Utusan Malaysia lately were in tune with the 1Malaysia concept.