Lawyer Eric Paulsen is not investigated under the Sedition Act because of pressure from Umno, party vice-president Hishammuddin Hussein says.

Hishammuddin said Paulsen's claim was like many who liked to throw the party in a "negative" light.

"The act of blaming Umno for everything negative is part of the agenda of certain quarters and they will not stop doing so.

"This is why we remain consistent with our stand. We want to work together in Umno to prove these allegations wrong," Hishammuddin, who is also defence minister, said.

Paulsen (right) yesterday blamed Umno cyber troopers for calling for him to be probed under the Sedition Act, and also criticised Inspector General of Police Khalid Abu Bakar for taking "instructions" from cybertroopers in initiating probe against Paulsen.

Paulsen had last week tweeted that the Islamic Development Department (Jakim) is promoting extremism "every Friday", a tweet that drew the ire of many.

Meanwhile, Hishamuddin also said that it is "unfair" to criticise the government's new anti-terrorism bill before it is tabled in Parliament in March this year.

"It is not something unique. In fact France, and other European countries have done it from a legal aspect to counter terrorists," he said.

"As such, people who want to ridicule something that is yet to be tabled in Parliament, are unfair towards those who want to see it tabled," he added.

Hishamuddin, who is also defence minister, however refused to comment on reports that military personnel had stolen a rocket from a camp in Kedah.

He in fact claimed that he did not receive any repors on the matter. 

"I don't have information regarding what happened in Gurun," he said.


Related stories

Lawyer Paulsen arrested for sedition

DPM: We've never had extremism in Malaysia

Paulsen only criticising Jakim, not insulting Islam