THURSDAY, APRIL 14 KUALA LUMPUR- Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi attends Vaisakhi Day Hi Tea at Sentul Gurdwara Sahib, Sentul at 1015 (0215 GMT); KUALA LUMPUR- Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi officiates National Key Targets Seminar 2016 at Sasana Kijang Auditorium, Sasana Kijang at 1145 (0345 GMT)
KUALA LUMPUR: The Government has not set a date to enforce the amendments to the Sedition Act 2015 which were passed last year, said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi (pic).
Dr Ahmad Zahid said the amendments were debated and passed in the Dewan Rakyat on April 9 last year, and in the Dewan Negara on April 28.
“The amendments were presented to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong on May 28 2015, and gazetted on June 4 the same year.
“Nonetheless, we have not yet confirmed a date for the amendments to come into effect,” Dr Ahmad Zahid, who is also Home Minister, told Ng Wei Aik (DAP-Tanjong) in a written reply.
The amendments included the removal of provisions that made it seditious to criticise the government and the judiciary.
They included the possibility of bail being denied for anyone charged under the Act, if the prosecution feels it is not in the public interest, increase of maximum jail terms for sedition from three to seven years, and a new provision that allows for a jail term of up to 20 years for seditious activities that result in bodily harm or property destruction.
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