Anwar to meet PM to highlight Wan Ji's one-year jail term
PKR president Anwar Ibrahim is expected to discuss the issues surrounding Muslim preacher Wan Ji Wan Hussin's one-year jail term for sedition with the Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
Labelling the sentence as "too harsh", Anwar said it did not reflect the new sentiment in the country...
PKR president Anwar Ibrahim is expected to discuss the issues surrounding Muslim preacher Wan Ji Wan Hussin's one-year jail term for sedition with the Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
Labelling the sentence as "too harsh", Anwar said it did not reflect the new sentiment in the country.
"This only means that the outdated and stale frame of thoughts still exists in the administration and the system of this country.
"It has to be tackled," Anwar told the media at the Parliament lobby today.
While noting the need to preserve the constitutional monarchy system by respecting and obeying the laws of the country, the Port Dickson MP added that Pakatan Harapan is consistent in rejecting "draconian laws".
"That's why I expressed my dissatisfaction with the court's ruling (on Wan Ji)," he said.
However, Anwar said, the meeting with Mahathir would not take place today as he wants the prime minister to enjoy celebrating his 94th birthday.
Meanwhile, the youth chiefs of four Pakatan Harapan parties expressed concern about the preacher's sentence under the Sedition Act 1948.
"We urge the prosecution to immediately explain why it wants a heavier sentence on Wan Ji, which is against the Pakatan Harapan government's stance on this cruel Act," they said in a statement.
The statement was jointly released by Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman (Bersatu), Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir (PKR), Howard Lee (DAP), and Mohd Sany Hamzan (Amanah).
They also urged the federal government to expedite the abolition of the Sedition Act.
Wan Ji's (photo) nine-month sentence, which he originally received in April 2018, was enhanced yesterday.
This came after the High Court in Shah Alam allowed an appeal by the deputy public prosecutor (DPP).
The court’s decision has courted swift criticism, with human rights NGO Suara Rakyat Malaysia (Suaram) demanding a public explanation from Attorney-General Tommy Thomas, given that the Harapan government had promised to repeal the Sedition Act.
It also led to yet more calls for the colonial-era law to be repealed.
Wan Ji pleaded guilty in September 2014 to a charge of committing sedition against the Sultan of Selangor Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah via a Facebook post in 2012.
The charge under Section 4(1)(c) of the Sedition Act carries a jail term of up to three years and a fine of up to RM5,000 upon conviction.
In April, Wan Ji had told Malaysiakini that he would read hundreds of books, which he had read halfway, if he is put in jail.
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