Sedition blitz causing climate of repression in Malaysia, says Amnesty International

The current sedition blitz against opposition lawmakers, an academic and a reporter is fostering a climate of repression in Malaysia, Amnesty International Malaysia (AIM) said today.

AIM said the views and opinions of opposition figures and ordinary individuals on a range of issues were being suppressed by Putrajaya.

"In August, at least seven people were charged or probed under the Sedition Act 1948 for so-called seditious comments or statements. For 2014, at least 15 people have been charged or investigated under the Sedition Act 1948," AIM said in a statement.

"Putrajaya must end its alarming use of the Sedition Act 1948 to criminalise activists, opposition lawmakers, journalists, students and academics.

"The law is being increasingly used against individuals who are simply exercising their freedom of expression in Malaysia."

AIM pointed out that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak had publicly announced that he was committed to repealing the repressive law as it represented a bygone era.

"It is now 2014 but the pledge has yet to be fulfilled by Najib. AIM calls on Najib to fulfil his promise and abolish this repugnant, colonial-era law.

"Furthermore, all charges under the Sedition Act 1948 should be immediately dropped as those who have been criminalised were merely exercising their right to freedom of expression."

The late Karpal Singh, Batu MP Tian Chua, Padang Serai MP N. Surendran, Shah Alam MP Khalid Samad and Seri Delima state assemblyman R.S.N. Rayer are among those who have fallen afoul of the Sedition Act in 2014.

Law professor Azmi Sharom from University Malaya was charged with sedition last week over an article entitled: "Take Perak crisis route for speedy end to Selangor impasse, Pakatan told".

The latest individual to fall afoul of the archaic law is Malaysiakini journalist Susan Loone who allegedly defamed the police in an article.

On Wednesday, Sabah Reform Party member David Orok was charged with sedition for allegedly insulting Islam and the Prophet Mohamed in a social media posting.

AIM also called on Putrajaya to ratify the International Covenant on Civil Political Rights (ICCPR) at the earliest opportunity.

This morning, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim said that Putrajaya had never promised to abolish the Sedition Act, only to review it after two years.

Shahidan told The Malaysian Insider that Najib had never promised to repeal the Sedition Act, only to review it.

"This means that the Sedition Act may be replaced by the National Harmony Act but it might not be repealed," Shahidan had said. – September 5, 2014.