You promised to abolish Sedition Act, not use it, Gerakan Youth tells Pakatan

PETALING JAYA: Gerakan Youth has condemned the government’s use of the 1948 Sedition Act, saying it is being used to stifle freedom of expression and silence voices perceived as challenging government policies.

Its deputy chief Andy Yong said it was ironic that for many years before coming to power, Pakatan had been condemning it.

"Draconian laws must be repealed as promised by the Pakatan government.

"It must be given a priority. Do not be like the previous BN government,” Yong said in a statement on Wednesday (Oct 3).

He said instead of the law being done away with, there had been an increase in in the number of sedition arrests by the authorities.

“So far, I see no steps (taken) towards fulfilling this promise. In fact, we now see vigorous use of this outdated and odious law,” added Yong.

He said laws that criminalise free expression had no place in a modern Malaysia and were incompatible with international human rights standards.

“The Malaysian government should immediately drop these charges and get rid of this law,” he said,

Yong issued his statement amidst news that the younger brother of Umno Supreme Council member Datuk Lokman Noor Adam had been remanded for four days beginning Tuesday (Oct 2) on a sedition charge.

He is being investigated for uploading on social media a photograph which insulted Prime Minister Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad.