Anti-Sedition Act movement Gerakan Hapus Akta Hasutan (GHAH) today handed over a memorandum of protest to Attorney-General Apandi Ali over a “worrying increase” in the number of charges under the law in recent months.

GHAH coordinator Amir Abdul Hadi noted that Apandi, who assumed office on July 27, has ordered for charges to be filed against at least seven individuals, comprising opposition politicians and civil society activists.

“We are reaffirming our calls for the (Sedition) Act to be abolished. At the same time, we also highlighted recent charges under the Act because even the timing of Apandi’s appointment was shrouded in mystery.

“We want him (Apandi) to prove that he was not appointed due to the reasons that had been mentioned in the past,” Amir told Malaysiakini .

The memorandum was received by Apandi's officer, he said.

Apandi was appointed to succeed former attorney-general Abdul Gani Patail, amid investigations into alleged financial scandals involving state investment firm 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB).

Gani had been one of four members of a high-level task force investigating the matter, which has since been disbanded.

Meanwhile, GHAH in its memorandum noted that the seven individuals charged comprised two opposition parliamentarians and five activists.

Among those charged include Amanah Youth chief Mohd Fakhrulrazi Mohd Mokhtar, activists Khalid Ismath and Lawrence Jayaraj, PKR MP Sivarasa Rasiah, DAP MP Ng Wei Aik, Johor PKR chief Hassan Karim, and PSM leader S Arutchelvan.

“On the other hand, individuals who have made incredibly provocative and inflammatory statements but happened to be Umno or pro-Umno individuals, such as Ibrahim Ali, Mashitah Ibrahim, Jamal Yunos, Ismail Sabri, and Mohd Ali Baharom were not prosecuted,” GHAH said.

Among GHAH’s demands are for the immediate review and dropping of all existing sedition charges, a moratorium on any further sedition charges pending a full review of the Act and its abolishment as well as for the AG’s office to acknowledge the Act’s “undemocratic” nature.

Some 30 individuals, including Arutchelvan, Bersih chairperson Maria Chin and National Human Rights Society of Malaysia (Hakam) president Ambiga Sreenevasan, were among those present at the handing-over of the memorandum at the AG's Chambers in Putrajaya.