SHAH ALAM, 3 Dec: The emergency motion to urge the federal government to repeal the Sedition Act 1948 is only a political gimmick by the Selangor government, said Selangor Opposition Leader Shamsuddin Lias.
He said that all Barisan Nasional (BN) Assemblymen has made a stand to not take part in the debate because the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak, has made a statement to keep and improve the Act.
“The motion is only a political gimmick to raise issues and bring up bad feelings to the people on the basis of their rationale, namely their freedom of expression.
“I want to stress that freedom of expression is subject to the Constitution Article 10 (2) which states that the people are free to express themselves but freedom of expression is not absolute,” he said during a media conference today.
The Sungai Burong Assemblyman said that the motion should be discussed at the federal level because it involved federal law and not state government.
“We do not need to debate this because this matter is under the responsibility of the federal government under provision item 9 of the security and public order article,” he said.
The Selangor State Assembly which convened today approved the emergency motion to urge the federal government to repeal the Sedition Act 1948.
The motion was brought up by Lau Weng San (DAP-Kampung Tunku) and supported by Saari Sungip (PAS-Hulu Kelang), Tiew Way Kang (DAP-Teratai) and Ng Suee Lim (DAP-Sekinchan) and approved by the State Assembly unanimously without any objection.
NS
