DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng today said Home Minister Zahid Hamidi's refusal to support the abolition of the Sedition Act 1948 amounted to a betrayal of BN's general election ‘Janji Ditepati' (Promise Fulfilled) slogan.

Furthermore, Lim said this was in open defiance of Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak who had one year ago promised that the Sedition Act would be replaced with a National Harmony Act, but it has yet to happen.

"Such defiance by Ahmad Zahid is unacceptable. Najib must provide certainty and clarity that he is committed to abolishing the Sedition Act by demanding that Zahid toe the line, reverse his stand and support the abolition," he said in a statement today.

He added that if Ahmad Zahid refuses to withdraw his opposition to the abolition, he must then resign from the cabinet.

dap special meeting 110313 lim guan eng "Failing which, Najib should explain to the people why he is breaking BN's promise and betrayed the voters by not fulfilling his pledge to abolish the Sedition Act," he said.

Lim ( left ) also rubbished Ahmad Zahid claim that there would be nothing left to regulate seditious content if the law were to be abolished, pointing out that there are provisions to deal with such matters in the Penal Code as well as civil defamation action.

"The Sedition Act has a sorry record of been abused and misused against opposition politicians. it is clear that Zahid is intent on retaining such oppressive laws so that it can be used against opposition Pakatan Rakyat leaders," said Lim, adding that he was speaking as a past victim imprisoned by such laws.

Meanwhile, Ahmad Zahid today defended his remarks , stating that he was not going against the premier as there is no final cabinet decision on the matter yet, according to Malay Mail Online .

'Sedition Act U-turn'

Furthermore, contrary to Najib's pledge last year, Zahid said the cabinet was only contemplating amending the law.

"The cabinet wants to look into it, not abolish it. The cabinet did not decide to abolish it, but to amend," he was quoted as saying.

NONE Najib it an interview with BBC this month had similar said the government planned to amend the law but made no mention about the replacement he had promised before.

After the 13th General Election in May, the government had repeatedly used the Sedition Act against critics questioning its legitimacy.

Among those charged under the law were PKR vice president Tian Chua, PAS member Thamrin Ghafar ( right ), social activist Harris Ibrahim and student activists Adam Adli Abdul Halim and Mohd Safwan Anang.