Review, drop sedition charge against other activists, G25 says
Suganthi Suparmaniam
February 13, 2016 10:16 MYT
February 13, 2016 10:16 MYT
G25 wants the Attorney General to review and drop the sedition charges against other activists currently charged under the Act.
Retired civil servants group G25 today said they welcomed the Attorney General’s decision to drop the sedition charges against University Malaya’s law lecturer Prof Azmi Sharom.
They are also asking the AG to review and drop sedition charges against other activists.
“In our commitment to a just, democratic, peaceful, tolerant and harmonious Malaysia, we are greatly relieved that good sense and justice have prevailed in this case,” it said in a statement today.
They said dropping the charge was a positive move that would help to foster free discourse and academic autonomy and promote a progressive and democratic society.
“We call for the abolition of the Sedition Act. This archaic law was passed in 1948 during the colonial era. Its purpose was to curb opposition to colonial rule, hence it has outlived its usefulness,” the statement read.
The group also called for the Sedition Act to be replaced by a law which promotes national harmony and democratic ideals.
“What we need is a specific law against the incitement of racial, gender and religious hatred,” the group said.
On Sept 2, Azmi was charged with sedition for his comments on the 2009 Perak crisis.
The AG yesterday announced that hat he is dropping the sedition charges against Azmi.
“In the interest of justice, and after going through the evidence given by the prosecution’s witnesses in court, I am using my discretion under Article 145(3) of the Federal Constitution and decide to drop the charges against Dr Azmi,” Apandi said in a media statement today.
He said previously, sedition charges against DAP's Teresa Kok were also dropped.