Many people would not have voted Pakatan Harapan, ousting the former BN government, if at the end of the day, Pakatan Harapan behaves just like the BN...Draconian laws that ought to be repealed have yet to be repealed...Sadly, even moratoriums on the usage on these unjust laws are now being removed ...and the new government seems to be still using such bad laws...SHAME on you PH?
Riots: Hakam speaks out against use of Sedition Act, other 'repressive laws'
National Human Rights Society (Hakam)
secretary-general Lim Wei Jiet said Hakam is deeply concerned with
Putrajaya's decision to allow the use of "repressive laws" including the
Sedition Act 1948 in relation to the Sri Maha Mariamman Temple riots in
Seafield, Subang Jaya.
"Hakam fully supports the government’s
intention to restore peace and public order, and for those who incite
racial hatred and rioting to be punished under the law.
"However,
the current government must not emulate the previous administration in
using repressive laws to deal with this situation.
"It was for
this reason that Pakatan Harapan's manifesto promised to abolish these
laws. The continued use of these obnoxious laws violates the integrity
and credibility of building a New Malaysia distinct from the old," he
said in a statement today.
Sufficient existing provisions
Lim stressed that there were sufficient provisions to deal with the current situation without having to resort to other laws.
As such, he said the government should "immediately repudiate" its decision to use repressive laws against suspects.
"Hakam
believes there are existing provisions in the Penal Code to prosecute
offenders in these cases, such as Section 298 (uttering words, et cetera,
with deliberate intent to wound the religious feelings of any person),
Section 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke a breach of the
peace) and Section 505 (statements conducing to public mischief).
"Hakam,
therefore, urges the government to stand firm with its manifesto
promises, respect human rights and to uphold the rule of law.
"Public
order and human rights can exist hand-in-hand - and this government
must prove that this is the way for Malaysia to move forward," he said.
A
moratorium had been imposed on the Prevention of Crime Act 1959 (Poca),
Prevention of Terrorism Act 2015 (Pota), Security Offences (Special
Measures) Act 2012 (Sosma), Sedition Act 1948 and Section 233 of the
Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 (CMA) pending a review.
However, Home Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said he had raised the matter with the cabinet and he had received consent to enforce those laws, particularly the Sedition Act and Section 233 of the CMA.
Lim
said the Sedition Act and Section 233 of the CMA are phrased too
arbitrarily and have been subject to abuse many times under the previous
regime.
He also criticised Poca and Sosma for providing the
authorities with “wide powers” to detain a person without trial without
judicial oversight. - Malaysiakini, 2/12/2018
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