I refer to the malaysiakini report Police report filed against pro-Umno website .

It's regrettable that DAP member Tony Pua lodged a police report against Kelab Penyokong Maya Umno (KPMU), which allegedly insulted Christians and Christianity. Indeed, it's unfortunate that he even instigated the police to 'arrest the writer, editor, publisher and the owner of the website and investigate them under the Sedition Act'.

Just to clarify, I don't condone anyone insulting Christians and Christianity, or any other religion for that matter. However, I do have a problem with condoning the use of sedition legislation.

I know that it's a tactic often used by opposition political parties to highlight the double standards of the authorities, especially the police, but I strongly object to the use of such a crude and heinous piece of legislation for political purposes.

If we bother to look at the history of sedition laws around the world, we'll discover that, from America to India, they have been used to defend the position of the establishment and/or the ruling elite. And this is simply achieved by shutting people up and not allowing them to speak out or even question matters that are deemed to be 'sacred' and/or 'sensitive'.

In any real democracy (I don't consider the US to be a democracy), freedom of expression is one of the most fundamental civil rights that the people have to promote and protect their own freedoms and interests, not only vis-a-vis other groups, but also and especially the state.

Hence, if we were to support the use of such a law, we are essentially shooting ourselves in the foot. We are basically telling the authorities that it is okay for them to use the Sedition Act against any of us, regardless of whether we are bloggers, politicians, religious leaders or even entrepreneurs who simply speak up against injustice.

Sometimes, it may be painful to hear some people say some stupid things, and it may even anger us. However, if we truly believe in human rights, and that only with such rights can we preserve our dignity, then we must respect other people's rights too (no matter how stupidly they exercise those rights).

In any case, for these people to say such things, it merely shows their malice and/or ignorance. Most of us can see through the words and know their true intention. Frankly, I find some of their writing and arguments childish, and simply not worth commenting on.

Instead of wasting our energy pointing fingers at others, I reckon we should rally behind people like Namewee (of the 'Negarakuku' fame) and defend them if they are actually charged under the Sedition Act. And if Johari Baharum, the deputy internal security minister, wants to do some real work, please ask him to instruct the police force to protect the people against criminals, instead of wasting time 'investigating' bloggers and other netizens.