Be fair, sincere when using Sedition Act, says Pak Lah

There must be sincerity in enforcing laws such as the Sedition Act, otherwise, there is no point in creating better laws if there was no fair implementation, former Prime Minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said.

Believed to be alluding to the recent sedition blitz by Putrajaya, Abdullah wrote on his blog www.paklah.net that even if man-made laws were not perfect, sincerity will ensure that these laws were used effectively.

He said laws were created by man and no matter how good they were touted to be, they could never be perfect.

"If we are sincere, even imperfect laws can be used to bring good.

"If we are not sincere, even good laws can be harmful," he wrote in his posting.

Abdullah also said that of late, many individuals were criticising and pointing fingers at others over their mistakes, despite the fact that they were equally guilty of doing the same in the past.

He added that although these criticisms could be deemed reasonable, the general public could not accept them and instead viewed them cynically.

"I am not saying that someone who had made mistakes in the past has no right to criticise others.

"But if we want to criticise, at least first admit your own mistakes," he wrote, adding that he himself had made many mistakes in the past.

He said another unacceptable practice was to criticise outsiders, but allow one's own "followers" to carry on with their bad attitude without any reprimand.

This, he said, was also an act of insincerity.

As such, he said that the reality was that although the criticism levelled was reasonable, it would nonetheless attract cynicism and would not be accepted by the public, if it is not seen as being sincere.

"Let sincerity lead us in everything we do and say, so that it can bring good," he wrote.

Abdullah also said that no alliance could stand the test of time if there was no sincere agreement.

"No point being together if they are not on the same path because sooner or later, people will know whether it was truly in the name of nation-building or merely to garner support.

Putrajaya's ongoing sedition dragnet has hauled up a string of opposition politicians, social activists, academicians, news portal Malaysiakini and one of its journalists, as well as Muslim preachers, all of whom have either been charged with sedition, facing trial or are under investigation. – October 5, 2014.

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