Nurul’s bill to remove Sedition Act rejected
(FMT) – The Private Member’s Bill Nurul Izzah Anwar filed to bring an end to the Sedition Act 1948 has been rejected by the Speaker on the grounds that the act’s abolishment would threaten the position of the Malay Rulers.
The Parliament Speaker, in a letter to Nurul yesterday, said that abolishing the Sedition Act would also mean abolishing its subsections, which touched upon the position of the Kings.
“…abolishing [this act] especially subsection 3(1)(f) will result in the act of questioning the special position of the Malay Rulers no longer becoming seditious,” the letter, signed by Pandikar Amin, reads.
“I also understand that Act 38(4) of the Federal Constitution states that no law that touches upon the position of the Malay Rulers can be approved without agreement from the Conference of Rulers.”
This has prompted Nurul to question whether Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak was aware of this clause when he announced last year that the government would replace the controversial act with the National Harmony Act.
“Does this mean that Najib is unaware of the procedure and mechanisms related to any Act before it is repealed?” the PKR vice-president asked at a press conference in the Parliament lobby today.
“Why didn’t he realize there were such requirements before making a public announcement to Malaysians on July 2012 that he would abolish the Sedition Act?” she said.
The government has received widespread flak for wielding the Act primarily on Opposition Leaders and activists critical of Barisan Nasional as recently as May this year.
Read more here: http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2013/07/18/nurul%E2%80%99s-bill-to-remove-sedition-act-rejected/#sthash.HUeYVanY.dpuf
The Parliament Speaker, in a letter to Nurul yesterday, said that abolishing the Sedition Act would also mean abolishing its subsections, which touched upon the position of the Kings.
“…abolishing [this act] especially subsection 3(1)(f) will result in the act of questioning the special position of the Malay Rulers no longer becoming seditious,” the letter, signed by Pandikar Amin, reads.
“I also understand that Act 38(4) of the Federal Constitution states that no law that touches upon the position of the Malay Rulers can be approved without agreement from the Conference of Rulers.”
This has prompted Nurul to question whether Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak was aware of this clause when he announced last year that the government would replace the controversial act with the National Harmony Act.
“Does this mean that Najib is unaware of the procedure and mechanisms related to any Act before it is repealed?” the PKR vice-president asked at a press conference in the Parliament lobby today.
“Why didn’t he realize there were such requirements before making a public announcement to Malaysians on July 2012 that he would abolish the Sedition Act?” she said.
The government has received widespread flak for wielding the Act primarily on Opposition Leaders and activists critical of Barisan Nasional as recently as May this year.
– See more at: http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2013/07/18/nurul%E2%80%99s-bill-to-remove-sedition-act-rejected/#sthash.HUeYVanY.dpuf
The Parliament Speaker, in a letter to Nurul yesterday, said that abolishing the Sedition Act would also mean abolishing its subsections, which touched upon the position of the Kings.
“…abolishing [this act] especially subsection 3(1)(f) will result in the act of questioning the special position of the Malay Rulers no longer becoming seditious,” the letter, signed by Pandikar Amin, reads.
“I also understand that Act 38(4) of the Federal Constitution states that no law that touches upon the position of the Malay Rulers can be approved without agreement from the Conference of Rulers.”
This has prompted Nurul to question whether Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak was aware of this clause when he announced last year that the government would replace the controversial act with the National Harmony Act.
“Does this mean that Najib is unaware of the procedure and mechanisms related to any Act before it is repealed?” the PKR vice-president asked at a press conference in the Parliament lobby today.
“Why didn’t he realize there were such requirements before making a public announcement to Malaysians on July 2012 that he would abolish the Sedition Act?” she said.
The government has received widespread flak for wielding the Act primarily on Opposition Leaders and activists critical of Barisan Nasional as recently as May this year.
– See more at: http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2013/07/18/nurul%E2%80%99s-bill-to-remove-sedition-act-rejected/#sthash.HUeYVanY.dpuf
The Parliament Speaker, in a letter to Nurul yesterday, said that abolishing the Sedition Act would also mean abolishing its subsections, which touched upon the position of the Kings.
“…abolishing [this act] especially subsection 3(1)(f) will result in the act of questioning the special position of the Malay Rulers no longer becoming seditious,” the letter, signed by Pandikar Amin, reads.
“I also understand that Act 38(4) of the Federal Constitution states that no law that touches upon the position of the Malay Rulers can be approved without agreement from the Conference of Rulers.”
This has prompted Nurul to question whether Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak was aware of this clause when he announced last year that the government would replace the controversial act with the National Harmony Act.
“Does this mean that Najib is unaware of the procedure and mechanisms related to any Act before it is repealed?” the PKR vice-president asked at a press conference in the Parliament lobby today.
“Why didn’t he realize there were such requirements before making a public announcement to Malaysians on July 2012 that he would abolish the Sedition Act?” she said.
The government has received widespread flak for wielding the Act primarily on Opposition Leaders and activists critical of Barisan Nasional as recently as May this year.
– See more at: http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2013/07/18/nurul%E2%80%99s-bill-to-remove-sedition-act-rejected/#sthash.HUeYVanY.dpuf
