A TOTAL of 33 people, including three politicians, have been prosecuted under the Sedition Act between 2023 and May this year, says Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail.
The Home Minister said that the police had opened 420 investigation papers during the period.
“Of this total, 33 prosecutions were carried out involving three politicians, one NGO member, one civil servant, nine self-employed individuals, seven unemployed individuals and 12 individuals from other occupations,” he said in a written reply.
“Last year, 142 investigation papers were opened, with six people prosecuted in court; and up to May 2026, a total of 55 investigation papers were opened, with six individuals prosecuted in court,” he said.
He was responding to Datuk Rosol Wahid (PN-Hulu Terengganu) on the number of people who have been investigated under the Sedition Act and convictions.
In a separate written reply, the minister said the Sedition Act remains relevant as an enforcement instrument for cases with seditious tendencies, particularly those involving 3R issues disseminated on social media.
“The police will take enforcement action under the Act against any form of debate on social media that is provocative in nature and has the potential to jeopardise public order,” he said.
In its current implementation, the police conducts continuous monitoring of cyberspace and takes investigative action against any content identified as containing elements of sedition.
“The decision to prosecute remains subject to the discretion of the Attorney General based on the strength of the evidence in each case,” he told Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan (PN-Kota Baru) on the latest reforms implemented to the Sedition Act 1948.
This was in light of the police stating that the trend of debates on social media, including posts or comments on government policies, constitutes an offence deemed to have a seditious tendency.
