Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ) today hit out at the government’s use of the Sedition Act, claiming that the Act is used for political gain.

CIJ director Jac Kee said the Act had been consistently used as a political tool to silence the government’s opponents.

“The recent jail sentences against activists and the string of sedition charges against opposition politicians are examples of how this law can be utilised for the ruling party's political gain,” she said.

Commenting on former student leader Adam Adli Abdul Halim’s sentencing, Kee ( left ) said the activist should not have been investigated under the Sedition Act.

“The Act merely requires the government to prove a seditious tendency of exciting disaffection against the government.

“This is incredibly broad and even covers legitimate and valid criticism of the government and its policies,” she said.

The Sessions Court in Kuala Lumpur yesterday meted out a jail sentence of 12 months to Adam for sedition.

Prove speech incites violence

Adam ( left ) was accused of making the seditious statement during a post-elections ceramah at the Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall, urging the toppling of Umno and the BN government. 

Kee, however, said that any investigation on Adam’s expression to 'topple the government' should have been carried out under the Penal Code and not the Sedition Act.

“For such an expression to constitute offence, it should have required proof that the statement was intended to cause fear or alarm and would incite the public to commit violence or other such offences.”

She added that the requirement to prove that Adam's statement could have incited violence against the state would have constituted a more balanced and constitutional approach, as opposed to the charge under the Sedition Act.