BN, Pakatan MPs tell Putrajaya to withdraw Sedition Act Bill

KUALA LUMPUR — In a rare show of solidarity, lawmakers from both Barisan Nasional (BN) and Pakatan Rakyat (PR) coalitions called on Putrajaya today (April 8) to withdraw a Bill proposing amendments to the Sedition Act which would crack down on those stirring religious hostility, deny bail for those being charged and ban them from travelling outside the country.

Members of Parliament (MPs) from both sides of the political divide argued that the planned amendments to the colonial era law places too much power in the hands of the police and would undermine the rule of law in the country.

Following the objections, Deputy Home Minister Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar announced in Parliament today that the debate for the Bill has been suspended.

Mr Bung Moktar Radin, a MP under the ruling coalition BN, said there are provisions in the proposed amendments that would allow one party to violate the rights of others without any recourse.

“I’m not a lawyer, but I have looked through the entire Bill and I am not convinced. If I am not convinced, we should reject it ... The police cannot take over the role of the judges, or the prosecutors. The police cannot take over our jobs...that is why I don’t support this,” he added.

“(The government) must call both sides to discuss and if this is really needed, then it must be refined,” added Mr Bung.

From the opposition camp, Democratic Action Party’s (DAP) MP M Kulasegaran suggested that Putrajaya go back to the drawing board and consult all stakeholders to come up with something that is acceptable to all parties.

“We are of the same position that something is not right... it is time to not only retract the Bill but to also get more discussions with stakeholders, including between BN and PR lawmakers to come up with a better outcome,” he said.

Dr Azman Ismail, a Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) MP stressed that any attempt to amend existing laws or introduce new legislation cannot come at the expense of the rule of law, democracy and human rights.

Prime Minister Najib Razak had promised to abolish the Sedition Act in 2011 but at the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) Assembly last year announced that the law would be retained and “strengthened”.

De facto law minister Nancy Shukri explained yesterday that Mr Najib had “u-turned” on his pledge to repeal the Sedition Act because certain “minority” sections of the society were provoking others and threatening social harmony.

A number of opposition politicians, activists and journalists have been charged or investigated under the law recently. Last week, five senior journalists from The Edge and The Malaysian Insider were arrested for sedition over a March 25 report referring to the proposed introduction of hudud, or Islamic laws, in the state of Kelantan.

Proposed amendments to the Sedition Act included refusing bail to those charged under the law and an increase of the penalty for those convicted, with a minimum of three years imprisonment and a maximum of five years. Those who are charged and released on bail can also be prevented from leaving the country as the court will have the power to order them to surrender their travel documents for a certain period. But for now, it is back to the drawing board.

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