The conviction of former student activist Adam Adli Abdul Halim today bears the trademarks of authoritarianism, not democracy, said an international human rights watchdog.

 

"The government's Sedition Act onslaught against political activists is picking up steam, with Adam Adli the latest victim of this sustained assault against freedom of expression in Malaysia.

 

"By throwing people in prison for political speech, Prime Minister Najib Razak and his government are showing the kind of authoritarian tendencies one usually associates with single-party rule rather than democracy," said Human Rights Watch (HRW) Asia division deputy director Phil Robertson ( right ).

 

He said Adam's predicament amply demonstrates the "incredible danger posed by the Sedition Act, which is so vague that it can be used by the government to criminalise any sort of speech it deems offensive".

 

Adam received 12 months for allegedly calling for the toppling of Umno and BN government.

Robertson reminded Najib of the latter's promise before the 13th general election to repeal the "odious" Act.

"It's time for Najib to stop reneging on his repeated past promises to revoke the Sedition Act, and get working to get rid of this odious law," he said.

Nik Nazmi 'shocked'

Meanwhile, PKR Youth chief Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad said he was “shocked” by the conviction.

The sentencing showed that Umno aims to block critical views,  he said.

Pointing out that although Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak had promised to abolish the Act, the trend of jailing dissidents for sedition demonstrated that Malaysia was turning into a ‘police state’.

The Seri Setia state assemblyperson ,however, believes that the sedition dragnet will not spook the rakyat.

“People from all walks of life are uniting to reject this law until it is abolished,” he said in a statement today.

Selangor assembly speaker Hannah Yeoh commented that the sentence will only drive young Malaysians away from the country.

“Was the possibility of @AdamAdli having a bright future given due consideration before sentencing? Not easy to find someone like him, I tell you.”

DAP’s Klang MP Charles Santiago added that he was in solidarity with Adam as having a varying opinion today is alleged to be a crime.

“Having different opinion is apparently a crime now according to our dearest prosecutor,” he tweeted today.

The sentencing was not only “excessive” but outweighed the sentence on student leader Mohd Safwan Anang, exclaimed a “flabbergasted” National Young Lawyers Committee (NYLC) chief Syahredzan Johan.

Meanwhile, Gerakan Youth head Tan Keng Liang, while expressing his sympathies for Adam, also took a stab at him, stating it was the price to pay for doing the opposition’s “dirty work”.

“Feel sorry for @AdamAdli... could have bright future. Never too late to return to right path. Opposition not responsible for your future. Good luck.

“Macai got to do dirty work. End up sentenced 12mths jail but the boss no problem, living comfortably in Istana Segambut. Don’t be manipulated,” Tan tweeted.