Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak had declared the Sedition Act "irrelevant" when pledging to repeal the colonial-era law, so how did it suddenly become relevant two years later, PAS' Parit Buntar MP Mujahid Yusof Rawa asks.

 

Mujahid, who is also a member of the National Unity Consultative Council (NUCC), was responding to Najib's announcement that the Sedition Act will be retained and "strengthened".

 

"On July 11, 2012, the prime minister who is also Umno president, vowed to abolish the Sedition Act and replace it with the National Harmony Act, citing that it was no longer relevant. How did it suddenly become relevant in 2014?

 

"By strengthening the Sedition Act, the Umno president in his speech is sending the wrong signal that colonial law needed to be maintained even though the situation today requires more relevant laws and are according to the times," he said in a statement.

 

Calling this as a broken promise by the premier, Mujahid pointed out that it was the Prime Minister's Department that initiated the NUCC ( left ), which was tasked with drafting the National Harmony Bill to replace the Sedition Act.

 

Mujahid said the draft replacement law, which had already been submitted to the Attorney-General's Chambers, would less likely be abused, unlike the Sedition Act.

 

"The Sedition Act has a low burden of proof and its definition of sedition is open to abuse, while the new proposed Act tightens the burden of proof and at the same time, ensures freedom of speech,” he said.

 

Mujahid added it was unfortunate if Najib had caved in to extremist elements in Umno.

Meanwhile, Umno legal adviser Hafarizam Harun was quoted as saying in Berita Harian as that retaining the Sedition Act does not mean the end of the mooted National Harmony Act.

He said the National Harmony Act can complement the Sedition Act, instead of being a rival to the colonial-era law.

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