DAP’s Tanjong MP Ng Wei Aik is the latest victim to be charged under Sedition Act 1948, for an article he wrote that was published in a Penang-based Chinese language daily in February.

Ng’s case comes after PSM activist Khalid Mohd Ismath was slapped with 14 charges - 11 under the Communications and Multimedia Act and three under the Sedition Act. Khalid was released on bail on Oct 29.

Ng said he will be present ar the Sessions Court in George Town tomorrow morning as he has just received a message from ASP S Shankar from the Seberang Perai Utara district police headquarters in Kepala Batas that he had been charged with sedition.

He said Shankar’s message states: "Gd morning Yb' pls come to Geogetown sêsyen court 2moro morning 8.30 am. Charge Yb' under sek 4(1)(c) akta hasutan 1948. Warrant will be serve by today. Tq.”

Ng described the charge against him as 'a systematic prosecution by the government of opposition parliamentarians and assemblypersons'.

He told Malaysiakini when contacted: “By next year, half of us will be stuck in court to face these charges.

“It is a fabricated charge against me. No one who reads the article would think that it is seditious. We will fight until the end and we want justice to prevail to save Malaysia.”

Police report lodged by MCA Youth

Ng said a police report was lodged against him by Penang MCA Youth deputy chief Ang Chor Keong on Feb 16 this year at the Mak Mandin police station, claiming that he had published a seditious article titled 'Let the trumpet of reformasi sound'.

The article was published in Kwong Wah Yit Poh on Feb 11, he added.

Ng said an investigation paper was opened on Feb 26, and the case was classified under Section 4(1)(b) of the Sedition Act.

“The editor of the Chinese daily was called up on March 3 to assist in the police investigations, and my statement was taken by the police for two hours on March 6,” he said.

In the article, Ng said: “The imprisonment of Anwar is just another victim of infighting between two political giants, in between Dr Mahathir and Najib.

“The release of Anwar in 2004 was due to no more threat for Abdullah after securing landslide victory in the general election.

“We need rule of law, and not rule by law. We need policy change, and not fancy change.

“With Anwar landed in jail, it is time for us to seek for reformasi again, until the next GE, until the days that rakyat can be the real decision-makers of the country.

“Let us not continue to be misled by those stupid politicians!”

Ng said after his statement was taken by the police, he lodged a police report on March 8, saying that he merely pointed out 'errors or defects' in government policies, which should not be deemed seditious.

Malaysia’s crackdown on dissidents using the Sedition Act and various other laws have been described as a a ' wave of repression ' and creating a 'climate of fear' by international rights group Human Rights Watch (HRW).

“Prime Minister Najib (Abdul Razak) and the Malaysian government have repeatedly broken promises to revise laws that criminalise peaceful expression.

“Instead, Malaysia has gone on a binge of prosecutions of critics,” said Brad Adams, Asia director at HRW.