Media
Statement -16/7/2018
CALL
FOR THE IMMEDIATE REPEAL OF SEDITION ACT AND SUCH UNJUST LAWS
-
Immediate
Moratorium of the use of unjust laws pending repeal -
MADPET(Malaysians Against
Death Penalty and Torture) is appalled by the fact that the draconian Sedition
Act 1948 and Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 was
again used against Human Rights Defender and lawyer Fadiah Nadwa Fikri.
These laws undermine freedom
of expression and opinion, something that the new Pakatan Harapan led alternative government,
that successfully managed to end the about 6 decade rule of the UMNO-led
government committed to repeal.
Fadiah Nadwa Fikri was called in for questioning by the police at IPD Brickfields at 4.00pm on 11/7/2018.(Malaysiakini, 10/7/2018)
Malaysians voted in the new government, and when it came into power, it would have been possible and easy to immediately impose a moratorium on the usage of draconian legislations like the Sedition Act 1948, pending repeal.
Sedition Act
Sedition Act 1948, a law enacted by the British colonial government, makes it an offence to say or do anything that has a ‘seditious tendency’, amongst others that may ‘excite disaffection against any Ruler or against any Government’. Hence the right to even highlight alleged wrongdoings or promote an opinion(be it good or bad is irrelevant) on how reform should be done, makes a person a possible victim of the Sedition Act.
‘…The Sedition Act 1948 is unacceptable and repugnant to the rule of law for the further reasons that it creates offences arising from an act, speech, words, publication or other thing that are defined as having “seditious tendencies” which are imprecise and without clear boundaries. Unlike other criminal offences, the offence of sedition does not require mens rea or the element of intent; the correctness of what is done, or the truth of what is said, printed or published is disregarded and not a defence to the offence…’ –Malaysian Bar Resolution
Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998
Section 233 makes any communication over the internet, being ‘…any comment, request, suggestion or other communication which is obscene, indecent, false, menacing or offensive in character with intent to annoy, abuse, threaten or harass another person. …’ an offence.
‘…it is just too broad and vague, and is open to abuse. For example, the highlighting of violation of human rights or laws, or facts connected to alleged violations of rights/laws, would likely ‘annoy’ or even ‘harass’ the wrongdoer, and for the alleged wrongdoer, it could also be said to be ‘menacing and offensive’. This should never be considered an offence… As such, this section deters even the highlighting of human rights abuses, breaches of law and even possible government wrongdoing. This section even deters the sharing of such relevant and important facts, and/or opinions over the internet…’ – Malaysian Bar Resolution.
MADPET calls for the immediate discontinuation of further investigation and/or prosecution of Fadiah Nadwa Fikri.
MADPET also call for the immediate announcement of the discontinuation of further action against all persons currently being investigated under the Sedition Act, Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 and/or other similar draconian legislations.
MADPET urges the government to impose a moratorium on any future investigations on Sedition Act and such laws.
MADPET calls on Malaysia to immediately repeal the Sedition Act, and also such sections in any law that is against freedom of expression and opinion like Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998; There is really no justification to delay and/pr procrastinate the repeal of bad laws on grounds like ‘further study and review’, an excuse often advanced by the past government that Malaysians voted out.
Repeal should reasonably and justly be done now, during the 1st sitting of Parliament.
Charles Hector
For and on behalf of
MADPET(Malaysians Against Death Penalty and
Torture)
Why are the Sedition Act and CMA being used against Fadiah?
LETTER | The Malaysians Against
Death Penalty and Torture (Madpet) is appalled by the fact that the
draconian Sedition Act 1948 and Section 233 of the Communications and
Multimedia Act 1998 was again used against Human Rights Defender and
lawyer Fadiah Nadwa Fikri.
These laws undermine freedom of expression and opinion, something
that the new Pakatan Harapan led alternative government, that
successfully managed to end the six-decade rule of the Umno-led
government committed to repeal.
Malaysians voted in the new government, and when it came into power,
it would have been possible and easy to immediately impose a moratorium
on the usage of draconian legislation like the Sedition Act 1948,
pending repeal.
The Sedition Act 1948, a law enacted by the British colonial
government, makes it an offence to say or do anything that has a
‘seditious tendency’, amongst others that may "excite disaffection
against any ruler or against any government."
Hence the right to even highlight alleged wrongdoings or promote an
opinion (be it good or bad is irrelevant) on how reform should be done,
makes a person a possible victim of the Sedition Act.
As the Malaysian Bar states: "The Sedition Act is unacceptable and
repugnant to the rule of law for the further reasons that it creates
offences arising from an act, speech, words, publication or other things
that are defined as having 'seditious tendencies' which are imprecise
and without clear boundaries.
"Unlike other criminal offence, the offence of sedition does not
require mens rea or the element of intent; the correctness of what is
done, or the truth of what is said, printed or published is disregarded
and not a defence to the offence…"
Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998, meanwhile,
makes any communication over the internet, being "…any comment,
request, suggestion or other
communication which is obscene, indecent,
false, menacing or offensive in character with intent to annoy, abuse, threaten or harass another person..." an offence.
"…it is just too broad and vague, and is open to abuse. For example,
the highlighting of violation of human rights or laws, or facts
connected to alleged violations of rights/laws, would likely ‘annoy’ or
even ‘harass’ the wrongdoer, and for the alleged wrongdoer, it could
also be said to be ‘menacing and offensive."
This should never be considered an offence… As such, this section
deters even the highlighting of human rights abuses, breaches of law and
even possible government wrongdoing.
This section even deters the sharing of such relevant and important facts, and/or opinions over the internet…’ – Malaysian Bar Resolution.
Madpet calls for the immediate discontinuation of further investigation and/or prosecution of Fadiah Nadwa Fikri.
Madpet also call for the immediate announcement of the
discontinuation of further action against all persons currently being
investigated under the Sedition Act, Section 233 of the Communications
and Multimedia Act 1998 and/or other similar draconian legislation.
Madpet urges the government to impose a moratorium on any future investigations on
Sedition Act and such laws.
Sedition Act and such laws.
Madpet calls on Malaysia to immediately repeal the Sedition Act, and
also such sections in any law that is against freedom of expression and
opinion like Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998;
There is really no justification to delay or procrastinate the repeal
of bad laws on grounds like ‘further study and review’, an excuse often
advanced by the past government that Malaysians voted out.
Repeal
should reasonably and justly be done now, during the 1 st sitting of
Parliament. - Malaysiakini, 15/7/2018
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