Sedition law use shows our leaders don’t trust us, Zaid says

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By The Malay Mail Online

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 20 — By keeping the Sedition Act, Putrajaya is admitting its belief that there is neither trust nor harmony among Malaysia’s different communities and that the best way to deal with dissenters is by instilling fear, Datuk Zaid Ibrahim said.

He claimed the ongoing debate over whether the colonial-era law should be repealed has revealed the existence of a seemingly large group of Malays and Muslims who still believe in what he described as “old solutions” to the country’s problems.

“They still want to retain the culture of colonisers, where if they doubt the loyalty of the locals or fail to earn their support, they simply instill fear in them. They use harsh laws to drum them into submission,” Zaid said in his latest blog post.

“If the Prime Minister and his supporters say we need the Sedition Act to maintain harmony and to prevent racial strife, then they are admitting that there is neither trust nor harmony among the country’s various communities.

“They are acknowledging that they know of no other way to deal with dissenters (besides throwing 1Malaysia slogans and badges at them),” the former Umno minister said.

But Zaid told the government that this approach is wrong and inconsistent with the ways of modern democracies, which he said utilises education to stop troublemakers from disturbing the peace with “seditious” remarks.

The government should use education to persuade Malaysians to trust and respect them, instead of using a sledgehammer approach to force peace, he said.

“We have been an independent country for many decades now, after all, so surely it’s time we follow the practices of other democracies.

“It’s time we treat our people with the respect they deserve,” he said.

Throwing dissenters behind bars, Zaid said, would only breed more hatred than love.

Sowing fear among citizens is an approach used by militants and terrorists and not the work of “smart people”, he added.

“Smart people,” Zaid continued, “...look at the source of the problem and offer solutions.”

“They don’t get excited about showing how unafraid they are of Chinese and Christians.”

Putrajaya recently embarked on a sedition crackdown, hauling up at least 20 anti-government dissidents and opposition politicians under the colonial-era law in the space of over a month.

The sudden onslaught of charges has led to renewed calls for the repeal of the Sedition Act 1948, with politicians and activist groups mobilising nationwide campaigns in hopes of pressuring Putrajaya into fulfilling its 2012 pledge to do away with the law.

Yesterday, lawyers from the Malaysian Bar resolved during an extraordinary general meeting to take to the streets in a mass peaceful rally against the law.

Critics believe the government is deliberately dithering on the promise due to pressure from strong right wing elements within Umno and its supporters, who want the Act to stay.

Defenders of the Sedition Act, primarily pro-establishment conservatives including former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, contend that its removal will open the floodgates of attacks against the Bumiputera, Islam, and the Malay rulers in the absence of the repealed Internal Security Act (ISA).

But Zaid insisted today that repealing the act would be “the way forward” for Malaysia.

For Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, he said the move would also help shine his credentials as a reformist.

“We all need to grow up before we can have a better Malaysia.”