Sedition Act In Malaysia
Sarawak 20 november 1969 p u a 476 1969 short title 1.
Sedition act in malaysia. Following the abolition of the common law offences of sedition and seditious libel in the united kingdom by section 73 of the coroners and justice act 2009 there has been mounting civil society pressure for commonwealth countries including malaysia and india to repeal their sedition laws. This webinar organised by jaringan hak asasi manusia the national human rights network provides a brief understanding of the sedition act and it must be repealed. The act criminalises speech with seditious tendency including that which would bring into hatred or contempt or to excite disaffection against the government or engender feelings of ill will. The sedition act 1948 malay.
In september 2014 a malaysian government spokesperson denied that najib razak was backtracking on his promise to repeal the sedition act and said it will take time to find a piece of legislation that balances the right to free speech and protecting malaysia s diverse population from racial or religious hatred. Malaysian prime minister najib razak has made two contrasting pledges with regard to the sedition act of 1948. Peninsular malaysia 19 july 1948 ord. End use of sedition act.
Akta hasutan 1948 in malaysia is a law prohibiting discourse deemed as seditious the act was originally enacted by the colonial authorities of british malaya in 1948. Keep pledge to repeal abusive laws. An act to provide for the punishment of sedition. Malaysian prime minister mahathir mohamad listens to questions during an interview with foreign media.
Home ministry won t repeal sedition act other repressive laws the home affairs ministry has no plan to repeal or amend existing laws viewed as oppressive which includes the sedition act 1948. Click to expand image. Is perikatan nasional s malaysia sliding down the democracy scale. Sabah 28 may 1964 l n.
In this act government means the government of malaysia and of any. This act may be cited as the sedition act 1948. Wathshlah g naidu executive director centre for independent journalism gurdial singh former law professor and hakam president adam adli president liga rakyat demokratik wong yan ke coordinator. As malaysia s pm najib razak says he will bolster the sedition act despite a pledge to abolish it the bbc s jennifer pak looks at why the colonial era law is so controversial.