The government respects the views of numerous quarters over the Sedition Act 1948, including the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), but hopes the views should also take into account the national mould, says Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

"We respect the views of the OHCHR but it should also respect the population and political mould in our country, and it cannot impose its mould in our national political mapping," he told a media conference after attending the ministry's monthly meeting in Putrajaya today.

Ahmad Zahid said the ministry, which was responsible in matters pertaining to harmony and peace with the police would continue to enforce the act until there was a replacement.

He said the enforcement of the act could ensure sensitive matters related to religion, sovereignty of kings, special privileges of the Malays and the Malay language as the national language, were not arbitrarily trodden upon.

An OHCHR spokesman, Rupert Collvile, was reported by a news portal , urging the government to initiate a review on the act and abolish or amend it, in line with international human rights obligation.

Prior to this, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Nancy Shukri was reported as saying the government would not abolish the Act in the near future despite pressure from certain quarters which wanted it to be promptly done away.

According to her, the Act is still important in ensuring security, harmony and communal unity in the country as the government needed time and a detailed study in the drafting of a bill on National Harmony to replace the Act.

On the ministry's hope over the 2015 Budget, he said additional allocations in the purchase of assets and equipment for all enforcement agencies, including the police, was a much awaited announcement.

Ahmad Zahid is also confident Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak will give special concern to the Eastern Sabah Security Command which needs equipment and assets to better guard the 1,700km long Eastern Sabah Security Zone (Esszone).

Esszone encompasses 10 districts covering 1,733.7km from Kudat to Tawau. They are Kudat, Kota Marudu, Pitas, Beluran, Sandakan, Kinabatangan, Lahad Datu, Kunak, Semporna, and Tawau.

- Bernama

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