The Malaysian Bar has passed a motion to organise a peaceful protest against the recent spate of arrests under the Sedition Act.

Proposed by the Bar Council, it was passed after debate during the Bar's extraordinary general meeting at Wisma MCA today.

The motion was triggered by the flurry of arrests under the Act, which saw politicians, activists and a law lecturer being charged for making allegedly seditious remarks.

Bar Council president Christopher Leong said that the motion was passed with an overwhelming vote of 701 to 13.

He also commended the high turnout of 986 members today, he said.

"The Malaysian Bar mandates the Bar Council to immediately organise a peaceful protest in the form of a walk," Leong (left) said.

He said that the logistics of the march, including the date and venue, has not been set but waiting “three to six months” would be "too long".

He also vowed that the walk will not be a “one-off” action in the Bar’s campaign against the Act.

"Our #MansuhAktaHasutan campaign launched on Sept 4 will be a fluid and ongoing campaign," he said.

Moratorium

 

The Bar had also resolved to condemn the Sedition Act and called the government to abide by its pledge to repeal the Act.

It also urged a moratorium on the use of the Act, and for the proposed National Harmony Act not to be a "recast of the Sedition Act".

"The Malaysian Bar is against the use and abuse of the Sedition Act because it is of the view that you cannot stop discussion, debate or criticism as they are all integral parts of the thinking and maturing process," he said.

The Bar had previously led processions against police abuse and the Peaceful Assembly Bill 2011 .

The ' Walk for Justice ' was held in 2007 where 2,000 lawyers marched 3.5km to the Prime Minister's Department in Putrajaya demanding that a royal commission of inquiry be established to stem the slide in the judiciary.

The march succeeded in compelling then-prime minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to set up a royal commission of inquiry into the infamous Lingam Tape on appointment of judges.

Meanwhile in Batu Pahat, PAS in its general assembly also passed a motion urging the abolition of the Sedition Act.

Earlier, Mariam Abdul Rashid, the mother-in-law of Muhammad Safwan Anang who was sentenced to 10 months' jail for sedition, made the case to delegates against the colonial-era law.

"We are convinced that more will be arrested and none can escape from BN's abuse of the Sedition Act," she said.

Safwan was given the sentence for remarks made about the last general election, which the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court found to be seditious.

Among other related motions passed at the muktamar today, which was proposed by PAS Muslimat and PAS central committee, is a moratorium on the Sedition Act and the halt of all charges under the law.

The Islamic party also wants a guarantee from Putrajaya that any replacement law for the Sedition Act, as is being mooted by the government, will not be draconian or worse.

Excessive sentence

On a related matter, Bar Council president Leong condemned the "excessive" and "disproportionate" sentence of former student leader Adam Adli Abdul Halim for sedition.

"Since it is a first offence, at best, it should have been a fine," he said.

 

The Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court today sentenced Adam Adli to 12 months’ jail for urging the toppling of the government, at the same forum as Safwan last year.

On the National Harmony Bill draft, Leong stressed that the Bar had only assisted the National Unity Consultative Council upon the request of NUCC’s law and reform and policy committee.

"We worked with them to draft the contents of the bill and as such, the bill reflects the view of NUCC. We only provided our experience and resources," he said.

He denied that the Bar had circulated the drafts, but said that the provisions "would go a long way to promoting true and meaningful harmony, unity and mutual respect among Malaysians".

The National Harmony Act is said to be the replacement for the Sedition Act.

However, Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak said the government is still reviewing whether to replace the Sedition Act or just amend it.