KUALA LUMPUR 16 Sept: The Home Affairs Minister, Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, should explain the real meaning of ‘sedition’ which has caused many individuals to be detained under the Act.
Datuk S.Ambiga said that what is more disappointing is that recently many political leaders and pro-opposition leaders have been detained and charged under the Sedition Act 1948 which was inherited from the colonial era.
“When non-Malays are under attack and told to return to the country of their origin, that is not considered seditious?”
“But when lawyers give their opinions on issues of public interests, that is considered seditious,” said the patron of the Negara-ku movement during the launch of the Repeal the Sedition Act Movement (GHAH) yesterday.
The former Co-Chairman of Bersih 2.0 also questioned the motives of Putrajaya in waiting two years before hauling up former Perak Chief Minister Datuk Seri Muhammad Nizar Jamaluddin for criminal defamation.
“If what he said was criminally defamatory, then why wait two years before acting? The rakyat forgets very quickly what has been reported yesterday,” she said.
On August 25, Mohammad Nizar was brought before the Ipoh Sessions Court on charges of defaming the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak two years ago.
NS
