See Full Statement -
Repeal Sedition Act 1945 and Discontinue Prosecution Against ‘Papagomo’ and all others facing Sedition Charges
We recall how the then Prime Minister Najib Razak announced that he would repeal the Sedition Act in July 2012 because it "represents a bygone era" and was part of his reforms to develop Malaysia into a progressive democracy. However, after the General Elections that resulted in a poorer showing for the Barisan Nasional, that promise was broken, and the Sedition Act remained and continued to be used.
The same seem to have happened when Pakatan Harapan did worse in GE15, compared to GE14, and assurance to repeal the draconian Sedition Act was again shelved.
Fears of losing political power should never be a hindrance to the repealing of the Sedition Act and all other draconian laws and provisions in legislations.
Penuhi janji mansuh Akta Hasutan, k’jaan digesa selepas Wan Azri didakwa
Kumpulan hak asasi membuat gesaan itu selepas penulis blog Wan Azri Wan Deris dihadapkan ke mahkamah kerana mendakwa kerajaan ‘pro-Israel dan pro-Barat’.
PETALING JAYA: Kerajaan digesa memenuhi janjinya untuk hanya menggunakan Akta Hasutan 1948 bagi kes provokasi terhadap institusi diraja, susulan pertuduhan terhadap penulis blog, Wan Azri Wan Deris, kerana mendakwa kerajaan “pro-Israel dan pro-Barat”.
Kumpulan hak asasi, Malaysians Against Death Penalty and Torture (Madpat) berkata, pada Julai, Perdana Menteri Anwar Ibrahim berkata kerajaan hanya akan menggunakan akta itu bagi kenyataan berunsur provokatif terhadap raja-raja.
Bagaimanapun, sejak itu Presiden PAS Abdul Hadi Awang; pengarang buku, Kean Wong; dan Wan Azri didakwa mengikut akta berkenaan.
Jurucakap Madpat, Charles Hector, berkata beliau berharap kerajaan tidak mengabaikan janjinya, khususnya ketika timbulnya spekulasi “Langkah Dubai” mutakhir ini.
“Kebimbangan hilang kuasa politik tidak patut menjadi penghalang bagi memansuhkan Akta Hasutan dan semua undang-undang serta peruntukan drakonian.
“Rakyat mengundi anda kerana nilai, prinsip dan janji pembaharuan, tetapi apabila ini diabaikan kerana bimbang hilang sokongan politik, maka rakyat mesti menolak ahli politik dan parti politik seperti itu,” katanya dalam kenyataan.
Terdahulu hari ini, Wan Azri mengaku tidak bersalah di Mahkamah Sesyen atas tuduhan membuat kenyataan menghasut terhadap kerajaan.
Dakwaan kerajaan “pro-Israel dan pro-Barat” dikatakan dilakukan dalam satu video di Facebook pada 8 Nov 2023.
Anwar pada Julai lalu berkata Akta Hasutan digunakan ketika
kerajaan lemah, dengan memberikan contoh bagaimana bekas perdana menteri
Najib Razak pada penggal kedua pentadbirannya gagal memenuhi janji
memansuhkan undang-undang berkenaan. - FMT, 8/1/2024
Honour pledge on Sedition Act, govt told after Papagomo charged
Blogger Wan Azri Wan Deris now faces action for claiming that the government is ‘pro-Israel and pro-Western nations’. Wan Azri Wan Deris, whose alter ego is believed to be Papagomo, has pleaded not guilty to a charge of making a seditious statement against the government. (Bernama pic)
PETALING JAYA: The government has been told to honour its pledge to only apply the Sedition Act 1948 to provocation towards the royal institution, after blogger Wan Azri Wan Deris was slapped with one charge of claiming that the government is “pro-Israel and pro-Western nations”.
Civil rights group Malaysians Against Death Penalty and Torture (Madpat) noted that in July, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said the government would only apply the Act for provocative statements against the rulers.
However, since then, PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang, book editor Kean Wong and Wan Azri have been charged under theAct.
Madpat spokesman Charles Hector said he hoped the government would not abandon its promise, especially as the controversial “Dubai Move” had threatened a change of government.
“Fear of losing political power should never be a hindrance to repealing the Sedition Act and all other draconian laws and provisions in the legislation.
“People voted you in because of your values, principles and promises of reform, but when these are abandoned for fear of loss of political support, then Malaysians must reject such politicians and political parties,” Hector said in a statement.
Earlier today, Wan Azri, whose alter ego is believed to be Papagomo, pleaded not guilty in the sessions court to a charge of making a seditious statement against the government.
His remark that the government was “pro-Israel and pro-Western nations” was allegedly made in a Facebook video on Nov 8, 2023.
Anwar had said in July the Sedition Act was used when the government was weak, pointing to how former prime minister Najib Razak failed to deliver on promises made in July 2012 to repeal the law.
Hector said that after the 13th general election, which saw a dip in Barisan Nasional’s performance, the government broke its promise, and continued to maintain and use the Sedition Act.
He said the same happened when Pakatan Harapan’s performance dropped in the 15th general election.
“Its assurance to repeal the draconian Sedition Act was again shelved,” he said. - FMT, 8/1/2024
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