Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Dr Rais Yatim yesterday came under fire from several quarters for issuing another threat to use the law against "minority groups" opposed to the teaching of Maths and Science in English in all schools.

Among those unhappy with Rais' remarks was human rights organisation Suaram, which also questioned Rais' "grossly simplistic view" that the essence of democracy simply meant that the voice of the majority would prevail.

"The threat to use sedition laws...is incredulous given the fact that it was spoken in the same breath with his 'essence' of democracy. Sedition is an anti-thesis to the ideas of democracy," said Suaram coordinator Eric Paulsen in a press statement.