YOURSAY 'The message is clear: Umno is hell-bent on stepping up authoritarianism.'
PM makes U-turn, Sedition Act to stay and be fortified
Kim Quek: After the universally condemned crackdown on innocent dissidents using this draconian Sedition Act, and after solemn and repeated vows to repeal it, this self-proclaimed moderate leader is making an abrupt U-turn to not only retain this law, but to make it even more draconian - to the standing ovation of the Umno annual assembly.
The message is clear: Umno under Prime Minister Najib Razak is hell-bent on stepping up authoritarianism to cling on to power.
So, all Malaysians must make up their mind which direction the country must take: More tyranny which automatically means more corruption, or freedom and democracy that will lead to better governance?
The Mask: Seriously, who is running the country? The fact that the PM has used the Umno general assembly to make this announcement just goes to show that Umno, and not BN, is the government.
Where are the voices of MCA, MIC and Gerakan? Where is the consultation? How come the PM asked the Umno delegates whether they agreed or not? Shouldn't the question be directed at the BN component parties?
Gerard Lourdesamy: This is democracy a la Umno at work. Fifty-one percent of Malaysians voted for Pakatan Rakyat in GE13 on a manifesto that promised the repeal of the Sedition Act. ]
Umno-BN got 47 percent of the popular vote but now what the minority wants must be entertained so the law remains.
The U-turn by Najib is a confirmation of his weakness as a leader and his fear of the right-wing nationalist faction in Umno headed by former PM Dr Mahathir Mohamad and the other warlords.
Next, Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim will be imprisoned so that Najib can continue as PM until GE14. As the PM he has proven himself to be untrustworthy, and certainly not a reformist.
It is time that the rest of the world accepts Malaysia as a facade of democracy which in reality is an authoritarian state that flourishes on institutionalised racism and religious radicalism.
Civil society groups and human rights advocates should stop engaging with the government, since in the end party politics has trumped over democracy, rule of law and fundamental freedoms.
Umno will never change.
Odysseus: Najib, why did you have to say "protect Islam and other faiths"? Why can't you just say "protect all religions"?
Have you also forgotten about racial stuff that Umno members have been saying? Please ban words like "balik Indonesia", "balik Cina", "balik India", "pendatang", "social contract" - they are overly misused.
Swipenter: The retention and strengthening of Sedition Act is more for the protection and survival of Umno Baru. The main purpose is to quell dissent of the Umno Baru-BN government because it is used selectively and partially.
Chipmunk: “As Umno president, I've decided that the Sedition Act will be retained, but as PM, I have failed miserably since I turned back on my promises to the rakyat.
“As such, I have no choice but to rebrand my motto of 'Rakyat di dahulukan' (People first) to 'Umno di dahulukan, pangkat presiden dipastikan' (Umno first, president's post secured).
“We in Umno can do whatever we like. Just remember, a few months before GE14, we have to change the motto back to 'Rakyat di dahulukan'. The rakyat won't remember all this, because they forget easily.”
Shanandoah: There is no law against evolution. It can't be prevented from happening. Malays are evolving. Umno Baru is worried about it.
Strengthening and fortifying the Sedition Act is not going to help. It will make matters worse. Evolution is how progress eventually comes. Get it?
Casey: As a result of ideological isolation, siege mentality had prevailed in communist North Korea and apartheid South Africa.
Today, a similar mentality can be seen in Malaysia. Sociologically, siege mentality may refer to the feeling of persecution by a group that views itself as a "threatened minority".
But in Umno's Malaysia, siege mentality is being instilled in the psyche of the Malays, notwithstanding that the Malays are the clear majority.
It is clear and conspicuous that siege mentality is encouraged and propagated by the Umno leadership to help justify their continuance in power.
Though at the core of its ruse is the defence of Islam, the Malay's rights, and the royal institution; in reality, the real reason is to cling on to political power and, with it, the ill-gotten wealth.
It matters not that along the way, the most despicable crime and injustice is being inflicted upon their own race and the nation at large.
Shawkey Ghafur: It is important that laws preventing incitement of hatred such as the Sedition Act be maintained to enable the authorities to take stern action against any quarters who made statements which hurt the feelings of certain groups in our country's multiracial and multireligious society.
Foodforthought: As a nation that prides itself to be multiracial, questions must be asked as to why it has become such a prevalent and convenient 'tool' of late. Why this 'Act' is popular only to a certain party and not even to its coalition 'partners' is obvious.
Neither will saying other countries have this too, give it any credence. By saying it preserves harmony, stops chaos, provide security, maintain a better future, etc, does not augur well and goes to show we are a nation of pathetic immature that needs such 'Act' to function without which we are unable to think. The writing is on the wall and all of us know it.
Pemerhati: Malaysia has been described as a false democracy or a dictatorship by knowledgeable political observers.
There are many different ways by which dictatorships retain power. There is the North Korean model where any opposition is usually nipped in the bud with death. Then there are the Saudi Arabian and communist Chinese models where opposition is not tolerated, and people who oppose usually end up with long prison sentences.
Najib and Umno have sent a clear signal that they are going to use the ridiculous and unfair Sedition Act to imprison people who oppose them and continue to stay in power by hook or by crook.
During Mahathir’s dictatorial premiership, the Internal Security Act (ISA) was extensively used to detain people who opposed the corrupt Umno leadership.
But since ISA has been repealed, Umno is going to use the Sedition Act selectively to unfairly imprison anyone whom it views as a threat to its continued rule and the plunder of billions from the country.
Semua Boleh: Well said, Mr PM. If you didn't announce that the Sedition Act will stay, you would have been brought down and replaced. All the cannons were ready to fire at you.
Victor Johan: Now Kuala Lumpur City Hall can pay tribute to Najib by putting up posters of him at all U-turn signs in the city. Putrajaya and Majlis Perbandaran Pekan can do the same.
Make it significant to 'boost' his image as an all-time reverse-specialist.
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