Sedition Act repeal may affect Umno’s struggle for Islam, Malay rights, Hishammuddin says

(Malay Mail Online) – The repeal of the Sedition Act 1948 could affect Umno’s core struggles, including its fight to uphold the special position of the Malays and the Malay rulers, Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein said, echoing concerns repeatedly raised by several right-wing Malay rights groups.

In an interview published by the New Straits Times (NST) today, the Umno vice-president said one of the possible consequences of repealing the colonial-era law is that the absence of the controversial legislation, the special rights for specific groups guaranteed in the Federal Constitution could be “affected”.

“[On the matter of] Sedition Act, for example, the worry is that if the act is repealed, it would affect the core struggles of Umno, which are the special rights of Malays, Islam and the monarchy.

“That has been enshrined in Article 153 of the Federal Constitution and we will not compromise on that.

“As such, whatever we decide to do with the act, we will ensure that it strengthens our struggles,” he was quoted as saying.

To ensure debates and speeches do not “turn inflammatory” when “sensitive issues” are debated, the defence minister said the matters would be discussed “openly, rationally” and involve “experts in the field” as well.

Despite Umno president and Malaysia’s Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s promise in 2012 to review the pre-independence law, several Malaysians have been charged with sedition over alleged insults to Islam or the monarchy on Facebook, notably former sex bloggers Alvin Tan and Vivian Lee, Muslim preacher Wan Ji Wan Hussin and activist Ali Abd Jalil.

Putrajaya’s sedition dragnet this year peaked during August and September, when the Sedition Act was used to probe and charge opposition politicians, activists, academics and even a journalist.