Home Minister: 255 investigated for sedition from 2020 to 2022, only four charged

KUALA LUMPUR: A total of 255 suspects were investigated under the Sedition Act over a three-year period, says Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail.

The Home Minister said the investigations by the police were conducted between 2020 and 2022 with only four cases charged in court.

"In 2020, a total of 117 investigations papers were opened which led to the arrest of two men.

"However, no cases were prosecuted in court," he said in a written reply to a question raised by Datuk Ngeh Koon Ham (PH-Beruas) in the Dewan Rakyat on Tuesday (March 21).

Ngeh wanted to know the number of individuals investigated, detained and charged under the Sedition Act between 2020 and 2022.

He also wanted to know the gender, race and age of those investigated, detained and charged.

In 2021, Saifuddin said that a total of 84 investigations were conducted in with 36 arrests involving 29 male and seven female suspects, with their ages ranging from their 20s to their 60s.

He said that of those detained, 27 were Malays, five Chinese, three Indians and one of other race.

"Only two cases, involving two Malay male suspects in their 30s, were charged," he added.

Saifuddin said that a total of 54 investigations were carried out resulting in 24 arrests in 2022.

He said all suspects were males between 20 to 70 years old, of which 12 were Malays, five Chinese, two Indians and five of other races.

He added that only two Malay male suspects, in their 20s and 30s, were charged in court.