PETALING JAYA: It is time the Sedition Act 1948 was repealed, in line with the promises of reform made by the current government, say Muda and Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM).
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In a joint statement, both parties rejected the use of the Act against caretaker Kedah Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor, describing the law as “draconian” and “ancient”.
They said it was time Malaysia followed other Commonwealth partners and abolished the Colonial-era law.
“We strongly reject the statement made by Muhammad Sanusi which was immature and shallow, where it was made on (the platform of) a political talk.
“However, we reject the use of the Sedition Act against him and call for this Act to be abolished.
“The draconian and obsolete Act which was legislated by the British colonisers to maintain their power must be abolished.
“In fact, the United Kingdom has abolished the Act in the country since the 1970s,” read the statement issued on Tuesday (July 18).
It was signed by PSM chairman Dr Michael Jeyakumar Devaraj and Muda president Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman.
The parties, which entered an electoral understanding recently to work together in the six upcoming state elections, said other Acts could be used to tackle similar cases in future.
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At the same time, they also questioned the police decision to arrest Sanusi at 3am on Tuesday when he was already scheduled to appear in court in the morning.
“The Madani government led by Pakatan Harapan has long fought for the repeal of the Act; in fact this is written in (its) manifesto.
“We can’t just be an idealist when we are in the Opposition and then forget all the principles once we’ve gained power,” they added.
Muhammad Sanusi was arrested at 3am, according to his political secretary Hilmi Abd Wahab.
A video posted on social media showed Sanusi surrounded by plain-clothes policemen.
Hilmi said a group of 20 policemen had waited outside his hotel room before he was taken to the Gombak police district headquarters.
Muhammad Sanusi was then taken to the Selayang Court Complex where he was slapped with two charges under the Sedition Act over a political speech he made on July 11. He claimed trial to both charges.
– The Star