Umno leaders' claims that the Sedition Act 1948 must be maintained to protect the Malays, the royalty and Islam are "baseless" said PKR, because the federal constitution already offers that protection.

In a statement today, PKR central committee member Latheefa Koya ( left) argued the provisions in the constitution could not be amended without the consent of the rulers themselves,

Therefore, she said, Umno's claim "is completely misleading and has no legal or constitutional basis".

"It is the federal constitution which protects the special position of Malays (Article 153); the Malay language (Article 152); the rulers (Article 181); and Islam as the religion of the Federation(Article 3).

"Pursuant to Article 159, these provisions cannot be amended without the consent of the Conference of Rulers," said Latheefa, a lawyer.

"The Sedition Act does not establish or guarantee any of the above rights," she pointed out.

"The Sedition Act is a harsh colonial law which was intended to tackle the communist insurgency and preserve British colonial rule.

Umno's wing's AGMs have stepped up calls for Umno chief Najib Razak not to abolish the Act.

Yesterday Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin said a shield is needed, not just for the Malays but for all Malaysians.

He said that regardless whether the Sedition Act is to be amended or reviewed, what is most important is that “there must be provisions in law to stop and punish anyone who makes seditious statements or acts”.

Wanita Umno chief Shahrizat Abdul Jalil meanwhile voiced her concern over current unhealthy trends of the rise of people making statements with seditious tendencies on the issue of the Act's repeal.

She claimed the critics have also questioned the special privileges, sovereignty, or the prerogative of the Malays enshrined in the constitution.

For this reason, Shahrizat said Umno Wanita does not agree with the repeal of the Sedition Act 1948.

Where's the threat?

Latheefa however said that there was no basis for the oft-repeated claim by Umno leaders and right-wing groups such as Perkasa and Isma that the rights mentioned are under threat.

“The Sedition Act is an ordinary penal law which criminalises certain types of speech, but does not entrench, prescribe or guarantee any of the (said) rights.

“It is a draconian law which punishes regardless of intention of the speaker, and is so widely couched that any kind of criticism of the government could be regarded seditious,” she said.

Stressing that such law had no place in any country which purports to be “democratic, Latheefa also reminded Najib of his pre-election pledge in 2012 to repeal the Act.

“If he goes back on that promise, the people will never trust Umno or its leaders again, and will rightly punish them and the other Barisan Nasional component parties during  the next general election,” she said.

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