Legislating national unity and harmony would be akin to forcing people to conform to a religion, BN's Pulai MP Nur Jazlan Mohamed said today.

Speaking to reporters after chairing the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) meeting in Parliament today, he said it was "unnecessary" for the government to legislate national unity.

He was responding to the National Unity Consultative Council (NUCC) drafting the National Harmony Bill which is set to replace the Sedition Act.

"(Harmony) should be born out of voluntary desire from the people, I think that is the problem with the country today when you need to legislate certain things that were taken for granted years ago," he said.

Nur Jazlan called for the government to relook its overall policy on how it wanted to instill national harmony among the people.

 

He also said that the Sedition Act must remain in place as a last resort legislation "in case things get out of hand".

 

"Like the ISA, it was abolished but it did not solve the problem of security.

"The problem today is that there is too much politics among the leaders.

 

"The Sedition Act should be used as a deterrent but in certain people's eyes it is to be used to discriminate and also force people to conform."

 

He added that integration is the only way national unity can be fostered. "If BN wants to lead the country, we have to show leadership," he contended.