YOURSAY | ‘When people say keep the Sedition Act, they're assuming it will never be used against them.’

CIJ: Using Sedition Act on Papagomo is 'a step backwards'

Anonymous_7f824cc0: While it is good to do away with the Sedition Act, the new legislation for race-relation issues is still not in place.

People like Papagomo (blogger Wan Muhammad Azri Wan Deris) are taking advantage of the situation and instigating fear and promoting violence.

The only pragmatic action the Pakatan Harapan government can take is to charge these violators under the Sedition Act.

Anonymous_f2be1f85: What is needed is a Race Relations Act. The Sedition Act is too wide.

Anonymous_1527925538: We need laws that can be applied quickly on people spreading racial and religious strife, to stop them from causing loss of lives and damage to properties. The Sedition Act is one of them.

It is the abuse of the laws for political ends that that needs to be fixed. We don't ban all knives just because some have used them to commit crimes.

Well Thats Fantastic: Inciting violence and racial tension, isn't there a law (other than Sedition Act) against that?

Anonymous 784981443394720: The country shall go down the drain if no effective action is taken against all these people who instigate trouble and violence.

This law is meant for them. Use it. The rakyat will not complain.

RKR: There is nothing wrong with Sedition Act, it had just been misused by the authorities. In the past, BN used it to silence dissenting views, which is not the intention of the Act.

If used properly, the Act is useful to maintain peace.

Royal Salute 21Y: All laws, if not abused, are good laws. In light of racial tensions, I think this is the most appropriate law, not only for Papagomo but also other individuals such as Perkasa president Ibrahim Ali for his recent comments and other extremists.

UntaSenyum: Maintaining peace and harmony of the country is of utmost importance. So I don’t really care what Act is used. As long as it shuts out the racist rants. Let them rant in prison.

Undecided: Papagomo is a serial racist but the previous government was lenient on his many racial rants and incitement. Don't make the same mistake by going easy on him.

Anonymous 2319461440035118: To repeal the Sedition Act is good. However, people like Papagomo and other extremists do not value it. They are only interested in creating racial strive.

If racial riots happen, our country will be like the ones in the Middle East where a good nation is destroyed because of fighting.

There are no two ways around the problem. If we want a peaceful country, hard decisions have to be made. Don't talk of ideals as we are not like the western countries and other Asian countries such as Japan and Korea.

Fateh: I support the government to use the Sedition Act on race and religious matters, as the nation is still very sensitive where these issues are concerned.

When a country can decide not to ratify the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (Icerd), it implies that some are still able to use race and religion to stir up the sentiments of the majority.

This act is to deter those who are out to create chaos in the country.

Riots: Hakam speaks out against use of Sedition Act, other 'repressive laws'

Roger 5201: Pakatan Harapan inherited the sedition laws from the previous government. The law should be used where appropriate.

If Hakam has a better suggestion to maintain peace, please propose. If these rioters ask for it, please do not disappoint them.

Anonymous 2462: I hope this is only an interim measure until a replacement law with better safeguard for civil liberties and prevention of misuse and abuse by the government of the day against its political opponents.

Zico: No law is too repressive in dealing with the present situation where the mischief makers want to burn the country.

CQ MUARku: This country is getting out of control; racist and extremists are becoming bolder without "repressive" laws.

Bringing back the Sedition Act 1948 is the only answer. The present regime did not have to abuse such rights like the former administration.

As such, the Home Minister, Muhyiddin Yassin is correct in tabling the motion. Better be safe than sorry.

Anonymous_4056: It is so tempting to use these obnoxious laws, particularly Sedition Act when there are many other laws to serve the same purpose.

We must by all means do not use these abusive acts like the former premier Najib Abdul Razak's regime did.

Otherwise, the new Harapan government will be no different than BN. Please consider carefully as we are in the reform mode now, aren't we?

Anonymous_e3e72c1b: Sometimes the oppressed make it easy for the oppressor to keep oppressing. When people say keep the Sedition Act, they're assuming it will never be used against them. That's not how it works.

Today, the “threats against national security” are to do with the temple issue, tomorrow it will be something else. Governments can find threats anywhere, anytime to justify the use of draconian laws.

Be careful what you wish for.

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