Planned Sedition Act repeal may ‘affect UMNO’s struggle for Malay rights’

KUALA LUMPUR — The United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), the largest party in the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition, is concerned that the planned repeal of the country’s Sedition Act will affect the party’s core struggles, including its fight to uphold the special position of Malays and Malay rulers, said UMNO vice-president Hishammuddin Hussein.

In an interview published by the New Straits Times (NST) yesterday, Mr Hishammuddin said one of the possible consequences of repealing the colonial-era law was that the absence of the controversial legislation would mean special rights for specific groups guaranteed in the Federal Constitution could be “affected”.

His comments echoed concerns that had been repeatedly raised by several right-wing Malay rights groups ahead of the party’s debate on the issue next week at its annual general assembly.

“(On the matter of the) Sedition Act, for example, the worry is that if it is repealed, it would affect the core struggles of UMNO, which are the special rights of Malays, Islam and the monarchy.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 it strengthens our struggles,” Mr Hishammuddin was quoted as saying.

To ensure debates and speeches do not “turn inflammatory” when “sensitive issues” are addressed, the Defence Minister said the matters would be discussed “openly, rationally” and involve “experts in the field”.

Several Malaysians have been charged with sedition over alleged insults to Islam or the monarchy on Facebook, while some opposition politicians have come under fire from the Act.

UMNO president and Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak in 2012 pledged to replace the law with the Harmony Act, which is currently being drafted.

However, repealing the Act is a hot-button issue among the country’s multiracial population and is opposed by several UMNO members, who have argued that the Act is necessary to protect multi-ethnic relations.

Critics, however, have said it has been used to clamp down on dissent against the government.

The Malaysian ruling party’s annual general assembly, held at the end of each year, is no stranger to controversies. In 2005, Mr Hishammuddin brandished a keris — a Malay dagger and symbol of UMNO’s supremacy — during the assembly, courting anger from non-Malays.

He later admitted that his gesture had been among the causes of the BN’s poor performance in the 2008 general election.

Mr Hishammuddin conceded in the interview that if UMNO failed to discuss in a mature manner the other hot-button issue of vernacular schools — another sensitive topic delegates will raise next week — it could put national unity at risk.

“And if this isn’t handled well, it could influence public sentiment, leading to the disintegration of unity and, by then, there would be no easy way to handle this.”

Several UMNO leaders have called for a debate on whether to abolish Malaysia’s vernacular-school system, amid the growing popularity of Chinese- and Tamil-language schools over Malay-language national institutions. Agencies