In light of criticism over their silence on the issue, several Pakatan Harapan leaders have come forward to decry the continued use of the Sedition Act 1948, even as the coalition works towards abolishing the contentious security law.

Azman Noor Adam, the brother of Umno supreme council member Lokman, was detained by the police in the early hours of yesterday for allegedly insulting Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad on social media.

Today, de facto Deputy law Minister Mohamed Hanipa Maidin said that other laws ought should have been used instead. 

“In my personal view, the Sedition Act should not be used against anybody.

“If, let's say, any offender breaches a law, it is more proper, in my view, to use other laws to bring the offender to justice,” he told Malaysiakini when contacted.

Similarly, Petaling Jaya MP Maria Chin Abdullah disagreed with using Sedition Act against Azman, especially with plans in the works to abolish the law.

“As far as Harapan is concerned, we have to review the Sedition Act, and we said we will abolish it, that will still be the promise.

"So for me, I feel that there is no reason to use the act,” she said when met in Putrajaya today.

Maria agreed that a moratorium should be applied on all laws under review by Harapan.

“Not just the Sedition Act, but also the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (Sosma), Prevention of Terrorism Act 2015 (Pota) and the Prevention of Crime Act 1959 (Poca),” she added.

Lokman had earlier chastised Harapan for not speaking out over his brother's arrest, arguing that their “total silence” was a far cry from how they reacted when the same law was previously used against their leaders.

'IGP must explain'

Like Maria, Kepong MP Lim Lip Eng agreed that a moratorium should be imposed on laws such as the Sedition Act, and further demanded an explanation from inspector-general of police Mohamad Fuzi Harun as to why it continues to be used.

“Any offender should have his or her day in court.

“The IGP should not have used sedition or any act which the new government seeks to repeal or amend. The IGP owes Harapan government and the rakyat an explanation,” the DAP lawmaker told Malaysiakini.

Besides Azman, activists Fadiah Nadwa Fikri and Asheeq Ali Sethi Alvi have also been investigated for sedition in recent months.

Also condemning Azman's arrest was Lawyers for Liberty executive director and PKR supreme council member Latheefa Koya, who urged for his immediate release and for Putrajaya to direct the police to stop using the Sedition Act.

“I think the Home Minister and the Attorney-General’s Chambers should be reprimanding the police for continuing to use (this law).

“Because as far as they (the police) are concerned, they basically think that the law is still there and they will use it as long as it is there.

“Whoever in charge should give directives to the police to use the law no more, respect the manifesto of the government,” she said when contacted.

Promise 27 of Harapan's election manifesto states that it will revoke a number of "tyrannical" laws, including the Sedition Act.