Ambiga pans Putrajaya for ignorance on constitution with Sedition Act amendments
(Malay Mail Online) – Putrajaya’s attempt to push through “extreme” changes to the Sedition Act without waiting for the Federal Court’s decision on the colonial-era law’s constitutionality is “appalling”, lawyer and activist Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan has said.
The former Malaysian Bar president noted that the court had yet to decide on Universiti Malaya’s associate law professor Dr Azmi Sharom’s legal challenge, which contends that the Sedition Act is invalid as it was not passed by Parliament.
“The Sedition Act is being challenged by Azmi with the argument that it is unconstitutional and is, therefore, null and void.
“And what does the government do before the decision by the court? They put in amendments. They don’t care what our federal courts have to say about the Sedition Act. To me, this is absolutely appalling,” she was quoted saying at a forum here last night by news portal The Malaysian Insider.
Pakatan Rakyat (PR) opposition lawmakers have urged the ruling Barisan Nasional government to defer parliamentary debates on its proposed amendment to the Sedition Act tabled yesterday, out of respect to the Federal Court where several challenges are pending.
DAP MP Gobind Singh Deo said yesterday that Parliament is clearly not allowed to debate on the matter that is pending in court as it would be subjudice, also saying that the debate would be an “exercise in futility” if the Federal Court finds the law unconstitutional.
At the forum, Ambiga reportedly accused Putrajaya of taking “extreme measures” to “seal our lips” by not giving the public and the federal opposition time to discuss the Sedition Act’s proposed amendments ― which imposes harsher penalties and introduces new offences with maximum 20-year jail term if property damages or bodily injury occurs.
She also questioned Putrajaya’s “oppressive” Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA) which brings back indefinite detention without trial after it was passed in Parliament in the wee hours yesterday morning, saying it was worse than the now-abolished Internal Security Act 1960.
“It is not just the rehash of the ISA (Internal Security Act). They have added to it.
“And this is very strange because it is more oppressive than the laws in countries where the threat of terrorism is worse. Besides, they arrested 17 people without the need of Pota. How much legislation do our authorities need, really?” she was quoted saying at the forum titled “What is a moderate Malaysia for Malaysians?”
Ambiga also cast doubt on the government’s remarks that it would not use the new anti-terror law to clampdown on those with differing political opinions or ideologies, expressing concern over Putrajaya’s selective action where some are “completely exempt”.
“What the government doesn’t realise is that extremism is not only about racial or religious extremism but it is also about an extreme abuse of power. Total and utter abuse of power,” the senior lawyer was quoted saying.
She also noted Putrajaya’s “muzzling” of the media with the recent sedition arrests and probe of five employees from The Malaysian Insider and its owner Edge Media Group over a news report.
“These extreme measures taken to stifle views are not going to stop many of us but it will stop others. Some people will be afraid,” she said.
In what is seen as a clampdown on dissent, the government has arrested over 100 individuals this year, largely consisting of activists and opposition lawmakers.
