THE Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) has told Putrajaya to honour its promise to repeal the Sedition Act 1948, as it questioned the continued use of the draconian law.

Its chairman, Razali Ismail, said police’s continued use of the Sedition Act in the arrest of several individuals last week for various alleged offences “indicated a worrying dependency on draconian laws” and to the extent that the police may be accused of “operating within an authoritarian policing framework”.

He said the commission is troubled by the government’s recourse to the Act to arrest two men and one woman on January 9 for posting comments on social media deemed insulting to former Agong Sultan Muhammad V.

Three day ago, the police also arrested Umno Supreme Council member Lokman Noor Adam over his video alleging that the Pakatan Harapan government was covering up the killing of fireman Muhammad Adib Mohd Kassim, who died three weeks after being seriously injured in a fracas outside a temple in USJ 25 in Subang Jaya on November 27.

“These developments are viewed with deep concern by the public because the government itself has taken a position that the Sedition Act is oppressive.”

Razali said Suahakam was surprised that the Cabinet and PH MPs who claim to support Malaysia’s transformative democracy – some of whom were victims of the Sedition Act themselves – have allowed such a regression.

Acknowledging that there will be instances where what is said or written may be offensive, Malaysians must understand that freedom of expression forms the foundation of a democratic society, Razali said.

“Suhakam reiterates that freedom of expression is not an absolute right and there are existing laws in place to ensure it is not abused, such as in a situation where it incites violence or promotes hatred,” he said in the statement. – January 14,