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PETALING JAYA: Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Ramkarpal Singh (pix) said that the government does not plan to abolish the Sedition Act for the time being.
Ramkarpal told radio station BFM in their The Breakfast Grille show that abolishing the act will take some time to consider.
“Not at this point in time. We’ve not excluded the possibility, but it’s something that is perhaps further down the pipeline,” he said in the podcast.
Pakatan Harapan (PH) said in its 15th General Election manifesto that it sought to study and repeal draconinan aspects of the law that can be weaponised against freedom of speech like the Sedition Act, the Communications and Multimedia Act, and the Printing Presses and Publications Act, FMT reported.
Those who oppose the act say that it is used to block out critical dialogue and remarked that it is too broadly worded.
In a written parliamentary reply today, Home Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said that 255 suspects had been investigated under the Sedition Act between 2020 and 2022 with four acts only being charged in court.
Ramkarpal also touched on the issue of the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act (Sosma) and stated that discussions with the police are in progress, non-governmental organisations (NGO) and lawyers as to how to make small adjustments to the law.
“We have many more engagement rounds to go, and I hope we can complete them in the next few months and come up with recommendations on how the law can be improved,” he said.
“I was in practice before as a criminal lawyer, and I’ve done Sosma cases where I’ve seen the weaknesses (in Sosma). I think it’s important to discuss this with all stakeholders, even those who are pro-Sosma, to find solutions.”
PH promised to rescind draconian provisions under Sosma in its 2018 election manifesto, that provides authorities with power against subversion, threats to public order, and acts of terrorism, sabotage and espionage,
Sosma’s critics on the other hand, have stated that the police may detain or arrest someone without a warrant if they believe the individual is involved in security offences.
The police are also allowed to detain an individual suspected of their involvement in acts of terrorism for a certain period of time exceeding 28 days to be investigated without a court order.
