The inspector-general of police (IGP) took the opportunity with the terrorist attacks in Paris this week to make a case for retaining the Sedition Act 1948.

“Draw a lesson from the incident in Paris. This is why we need the Sedition Act, and PDRM will not let anyone who insults religion off,” IGP Khalid Abu Bakar said on Twitter this morning.

He was referring to Prime Minister Najib Razak's controversial U-turn on a pre-election promise to abolish the archaic act used by the colonial British to stamp out dissent.

 

Khalid's statement echoes Defence Minister Hishammuddin Hussein who yesterday said the attacks on Paris publication Charlie Hebdo showed that Malaysia needs to shore up its security.

"Don't take it lightly that what was faced by that country (France) is not impossible for us to face (here)," Hishammuddin said.

France was on high alert this week after hooded attackers on Wednesday killed 12 people at the Paris offices of satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo , a weekly known for lampooning religion and politics, in the most deadly militant attack on French soil in decades.

A kebab shop next to a mosque in eastern Paris was rocked by an explosion yesterday.

Two brothers wanted for the bloody attack were killed yesterday when anti-terrorist police stormed their hideout ,

PKR: Khalid 'desperate'

Meanwhile, PKR Padang Serai MP called Khalid's statement "a desperate attempt to justify continued usage of the draconian and archaic Act".

"His claim is without any logic or basis," said the lawyer in a statement today.

"How can the Sedition Act possibly protect the country from terrorist attacks? Only good police work and intelligence gathering can prevent terrorist incidents from occurring.

"On the contrary, the Sedition Act criminalises legitimate criticism of the government and the authorities," he said.

"For example, why are the police now investigating PKR Adun Haniza Talha merely for questioning the federal budget allocation for Permata? Can the IGP answer this?" he added.

Surendran, who is opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim's counsel in the latter's Sodomy II appeal, is being charged for sedition over comments made in relation to the court case.

The PKR leader added that the IGP as a civil servant had no business commenting on the ongoing dispute over the retention of the Sedition Act.

"The IGP, as a top civil servant, has no business to publicly intervene in policy or political matters. The IGP's job is strictly confined to law enforcement.

"It is even more disturbing that the IGP has chosen to interfere in the ongoing dispute between the BN and the opposition and civil society on the retention and use of the Sedition Act, he said.

He said Khalid's interference further tarnishes the reputation of the police force.