Bowing to pressure, a former minister said Najib Abdul Razak will announce at the Umno general assembly tomorrow that the Sedition Act will be retained.

According to Zainuddin Maidin, the prime minister will revert on his decision to replace the Sedition Act with the Harmony Act due to increasing opposition from within the party.

"Apart from party divisions nationwide which opposed his plan, Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin also warned in his speech (today) that Malaysia would be ruined without the Sedition Act, which was also supported by Wanita Umno," he said in a blog posting this evening.

"However, Najib would not revive the Internal Security Act (ISA), which he repealed, a move that former chief justice Abd Hamid Mohamad described as 'stupid'," he added.

During his policy address at the Umno Youth general assembly, Khairy said the country needed a shield .

Therefore, he said, whether the Sedition Act is to be amended or reviewed, what is most important is that there must be provisions in law to stop and punish anyone who makes seditious statements or acts.

Meanwhile, Wanita Umno chief Shahrizat Abdul Jalil said the wing is collecting one million signatures in support of the Sedition Act being retained.

Yesterday, when opening the Youth, Wanita and Puteri assemblies, Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin also said the Act to remain .

Najib’s decision to repeal the ISA and replace the Sedition Act also drew flak from former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad and right wing movements like Perkasa.

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