Former top cops to join pro-Sedition Act roadshow
(Malay Mail Online) – A former inspector-general of police and retired Criminal Investigation Department (CID) chief will join a nationwide roadshow calling for the retention of the Sedition Act 1948.
Ex-IGP Tan Sri Musa Hassan and former CID head Tan Sri Zaman Khan is set to embark on the roadshow together with Malaysia Airlines (MAS) chief executive officer Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Abdul Rahman as part of the Gerakan Malaysia Mempertahankan Akta Hasutan (Movement of Citizens Defending the Sedition Act 1948) campaign.
The campaign and the involvement of the three was publicised over Facebook today by the movement’s organiser, Mohd Khairul Azam Abdul Aziz, who was also listed as a speaker in the roadshows.
“We live in a fragile country with different races and we need a guideline, should anything happen..we need a law to refer to, in ascertaining if one has crossed their limits, or not,” lawyer Mohd Khairul said when contacted by Malay Mail Online.
When asked the purpose of the roadshow given the growing call for the act to be repealed, Mohd Khairul answered; “We love this country more than anyone else.”
“We have already started our activity, with Ipoh being our first stop. We have already received many invitation to give talks in Pahang, Kedah and even Tawau, Sabah,” he added.
He added that although Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak has announced the plan to repeal the colonial era law, the movement is seeking to ensure that Putrajaya does not “err” as it did by abolishing the Internal Security Act (ISA) and the Emergency Ordinance (EO) security laws.
When launching the movement last week, Musa suggested a mandatory death sentence for “habitual” offenders under the Sedition Act.
This prompted former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad to tell the former IGP to “try it on himself” before suggesting it for others.
There now exist opposing movements either calling for the retention of the colonial era law or pushing for it to be repealed as pledged by the government.
Putrajaya was recently forced to reaffirm its commitment to repeal the Sedition Act, which remains in use two years after Najib said it will be replaced with laws on national harmony.
Critics, however, believe the government is deliberately dithering on the promise due to pressure from strong right wing elements within Umno and its supporters, who want the Act to stay.
Defenders of the Sedition Act, primarily pro-establishment conservatives including Dr Mahathir, contend that its removal will open the floodgates of attacks against the Bumiputera, Islam, and the Malay rulers in the absence of the repealed Internal Security Act (ISA).
Those pushing for the law to be eliminated, however, insist that its ambit is too broad, as it criminalises speech with an undefined “seditious tendency” and without need to prove intent.
