Reporters have been urged to continue reporting without fear despite the arrest of Malaysiakini journalist Susan Loone under the Sedition Act.
 
“Please do not be fearful of the Sedition Act. They will try to intimidate all of you because they are trying to create a climate of fear,” Lawyers for Liberty (LFL) executive director Eric Paulsen said today.
 
"So Susan Loone was arrested for several hours.
 
“Everyone knows that she is blameless, because you (reporters) are just doing your jobs; you are just reporting what has transpired.
 
“Carry on with your jobs. Lawyers for Liberty will be behind you, and if you get in trouble, we will be with you and all these organisations will support you.
 
"So no fear, carry on with whatever you were doing,” Paulsen (right) told a  press conference.

He said this when announcing a new civil society initiative to pressure for the abolition of the Sedition Act, called the ‘Abolish the Sedition Act Movement’ (GHAH).
 
A total of 112 NGOs are involved in the movement.

Apart from LFL, other groups include Amnesty International Malaysia, Himpunan Hijau, Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall (KLSCAH) Malaysian Indians Progressive Association and Pertubuhan Ikram Malaysia.

This follows a spate of charges and investigations under the Sedition Act over the past month, including Loone who was arrested yesterday.

“The Sedition Act is too broadly defined and is easily open to abuse by the government. It can and is being used to criminalise almost any kind of democratic speech including legitimate criticisms against the government, its leaders or the ruling political parties.

“Under the Sedition Act, almost anything said or published that is remotely contentious can be deemed seditious,” said GHAH spokesperson and Suaram executive director Yap Swee Seng.

Explain Shahidan’s statement, gov’t urged

He also urged the government to explain Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Shahidan Kassim’s statement today that the government merely promised to review the Sedition Act, but did not promise to repeal it.

“That is a statement that clearly contradicts the prime minister’s (Najib Abdul Razak) commitment in 2012, which he repeated last year. It is against the prime minister’s statement.

“So the movement would like to ask which stance is the government taking - Is Najib’s administration going to continue with its commitment to abolish the Sedition Act? Or (with) the stance stated by Shahidan,” he said.

Earlier today, The Malaysian Insider quoted Shahidan saying, “The prime minister never promised to repeal it, he only pledged to review it. This means the Sedition Act may be replaced with the National Harmony Act but it might not be repealed.”

However, news reports of the time had quoted Najib saying that the Sedition Act would be repealed and replaced by the National Harmony Act.

On Saturday last week, the Prime Minister’s Office issued a statement saying, “‘The Sedition Act will be replaced by the National Harmony Bill.

“The Bill is intended to be a comprehensive, fair and lasting piece of legislation that promotes national harmony whilst protecting Malaysian citizens from racial or religious hatred.”

In the meantime, Yap (left) said GHAH will fight until the Sedition Act is repealed and will also oppose any similarly draconian laws that may be devised to replace it.

It also urged that existing charges under the act be dropped, and those imprisoned be released.

GHAH will be launching on Sept 15, and will hold nationwide roadshows to campaign for the Sedition Act’s repeal.

It will also be working together with any other political parties and groups that have similar goals, Yap said, including the National Young Lawyers Committee (NYLC) that had launched its own initiative just last night.

“Because of the way the Malaysian Bar and the Bar Council is set up, we (NYLC) cannot formally be part of the coalition, but we will be in full support of the coalition because we have the same goals and the same aims,” said NYLC chief Syahredzan Johan (left) at the press conference.

To a question on whether there will be demonstrations, Yap said the matter is still being discussed, but Paulsen stressed that Malaysians should not be afraid to hold peaceful protests because that is a constitutional right.


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