People’s Petition on Sedition Act submitted to Speaker

“The 3005 signatures collected clearly shows where the people of Malaysia stand on this issue. The collection of signatures continues.”

KUALA LUMPUR: Dewan Rakyat Speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia has received a People’s Petition on the Sedition Act, carrying more than the minimum 3,000 signatures, calling on Parliament to bring up the matter on Monday 24 November i.e. three days before it ends this session.

Shah Alam MP Khalid Samad, representing Gerakan Hapus Akta Hasutan (GHAH), disclosed the matter at a media conference at the Parliament lobby.

GHAH will also gather all petitioners at Padang Merbok in Kuala Lumpur at 10 am. Together, the petitioners will march to Parliament, and demand their right to enter the House as petitioners and to have the People’s Petition raised and debated in Parliament.

“The People’s Petition has been served, appealing to the august Dewan to urge the Federal government to repeal the Sedition Act of 1948 and to drop all charges made under the Act,” reiterated Khalid.

“The 3005 signatures collected clearly shows where the people of Malaysia stand on this issue. The collection of signatures continues.”

He stressed that the “pre-independence”, “draconian” Act was enacted by the “British colonialists to suppress the people’s voice”.

“The Act covers far and wide – limitless, which is why it is very easy to manipulate and abuse it,” said Khalid. “It is being misused in every possible way against those who voice out against the government, the nation’s leader, or governing party.”

“The Act is being used to criminalize those who simply offer a differing view to that of the government, including lawyers, academicians, and civilians”.

Subang MP R. Sivarasah chipped in: “The new colonists have taken over by continuing to use the same old law to suppress and control.”

Amnesty International, Women’s Aid Organisation (WAO), Bersih, SUARAM, and Empower representatives were present during the media conference.

GHAH is a movement supported by 132 civil societies in Malaysia and spearheaded by SUARAM, Lawyers for Liberty, and IKRAM, among others. The objective of GHAH is to carry out a national campaign to bring to an end the Sedition Act 1948 which hangs over every Malaysian.

More than 40 individuals from different backgrounds and professions have been investigated and charged this year under the Sedition Act.

The crackdown was widely condemned by international and national institutions, including the United Nations Human Rights Council, Amnesty International, Article 19, Malaysian Bar Council, and SUHAKAM, among others.