Graphic designer Fahmi Reza and cartoonist Zunar have vowed to continue making artwork to protest the continued existence and use of repressive laws under the Pakatan Harapan government.

They specifically highlighted to recent use of the Sedition Act 1948 on activists Fadiah Nadwa Fikri and Asheeq Ali Sethi Alvi while the Home Ministry presently reviews the legislation.

Zunar told a forum today that while he was glad about the change of government in the 14th general election (GE14), remnants of the BN regime were still firmly in place.

“We finally managed to change the political party (in GE14) but not some other things.

“The laws that the previous government used against me still exist, the Sedition Act is still here (and the) Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984 (PPPA) is still here.

“[...] I will continue to keep the pressure on the government to say that you shouldn’t repeat the same mistakes (which) the previous government made,” he said during the Freedom of Speech and Expression: A New Malaysian Perspective on the Challenges of a Post-Truth Age forum in Kuala Lumpur tonight.

Zunar, whose full name is Zulkiflee Anwar ul-Haque, was previously slapped with nine charges under the Sedition Act over his cartoons, which had also been subject to seizure under the PPPA. These charges have since been dropped.

Echoing Zunar, Fahmi questioned during the forum if the Harapan government was serious about abolishing the Sedition Act since it continued to be in use.

“Human rights lawyer Fadiah (photo) was recently investigated and called in for questioning by police under the Sedition Act, under this new government. Another student activist (Asheeq) was also called in by police for a speech he made in solidarity with Fadiah.

“So what (has) happened to the government’s pledge to abolish the Sedition Act when the police have continued to use the law to go after activists?” asked Fahmi, adding that he will continue to use his artwork as a “political weapon” to hold the Harapan government accountable.

Fahmi was previously arrested and investigated under the Sedition Act for selling t-shirts bearing a caricature of former premier Najib Abdul Razak as a clown.

Moratorium needed

Meanwhile, Suhakam commissioner Mah Weng Kwai urged for a moratorium on the law until the government decides what to do with it.

Mah, who was also a panelist at the forum, told Malaysiakini afterwards that there should be a moratorium on the Sedition Act as well as on all laws presently being studied by the government.

“There should be a moratorium and a freeze on all police action (using these laws) until there is a final decision by the government,” said the former Court of Appeal judge when asked for his views on Fadiah and Asheeq’s cases.

Home Minister Muhyiddin Yassin previously said that in line with Harapan’s GE14 manifesto, his ministry was reviewing a total of seven laws - the Sedition Act, PPPA, Peaceful Assembly Act 2012, Prevention of Crime Act 1959 (Poca), Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (Sosma), Prevention of Terrorism Act 2015 (Pota) - as well as the mandatory death sentence.

Tonight’s forum was part of the ongoing International Malaysia Law Conference 2018.

Aside from Zunar, Fahmi and Mah, the forum also featured Fijian commercial lawyer Richard Naidu and was moderated by the Bar Council’s Muhammad Rafique Rashid Ali.