Anti-Sedition Act movement Gerakan Hapuskan Akta Hasutan (GHAH) has urged members of the public not to eat out on Oct 11 and donate the money saved to its cause.

"With the increase in the number of people being investigated and potentially charged, GHAH is building up a pool of funds.

"The money is to defend those being investigated or charged (under the Sedition Act 1948)," the group’s spokesperson Yap Swee Seng ( right ) said today.

Yap said the money would be used for the movement’s campaign, as well as to help Sedition Act victims by providing bail, legal representation and to help support their families in the event they are imprisoned.

He said that based on Suaram’s monitoring, at least 17 people have been investigated under the act and eight have been charged since August this year.

Since launching its fund on Sept 15, he said GHAH has raised RM21,366.90 as of Sept 30, but the movement hopes to raise as much funds as it can.

"This is in view of the fact that we don’t know how many more cases that is going to come up in the next few days, the next few weeks, or even months,” said Yap, who is also the Suaram executive director.

He urged those to have been targeted under the Sedition Act to contact GHAH, as Lawyers for Liberty, the National Young Lawyers Committee (NYLC), and the Bar Council Human Rights Committee have set up a team of lawyers who would be able provide legal assistance if necessary.

Lawyers for Liberty is a member of the GHAH movement.

“We know that some (members of the public) have been charged and actually convicted without sufficient legal advice, and this is really unfortunate.

“We also don’t know if there are other cases that whether there are cases that are not reported in the media but are actually taking place, so we encourage members of the public to call us and GHAH will provide assistance to all these victims of the Sedition Act,” he said.

Public forum in Johor Baru

Yap also announced that GHAH will be holding a public forum on the Sedition Act in Johor Baru on Oct 4 at 3pm.

It will be held at Pusat Engage, 55-A, Jalan Molek 2/4, Taman Molek, Johor Baru. Yap is slated to speak at the forum alongside NYLC chairperson Syahredzan Johan and chairperson of the NGO Engage, Thomas Fann.

Those who wish to donate to GHAH can do so via Suara Inisiatif Sdn Bhd’s Public Bank account number 3103-6094-09 .

Suara Inisiatif is the company name that Suaram is registered under, citing difficulties in registering an NGO under the Registrar of Societies instead.

Meanwhile, those who wish to report their Sedition Act case to GHAH can reach the group via the email gerakan.HAH@gmail.com or through the fax number 03-7784 3525.

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