What To Expect From The Nationwide #MansuhAktaHasutan Campaign To End Sedition
As Najib's pledge to repeal the Sedition Act falls silent, the opposition party has decided to speak out against the draconian act.
By Mei Mei Chu — 04 Sep 2014, 12:44 PM — Updated about 10 years ago
Malaysian Lawyers Turn Up The Pressure With A March Against Sedition This October
A peaceful walk by lawyers to protest the Sedition Act 1948 will take place at 10.30am on Thursday, October 16, beginning at the Padang Merbok car park, the Malaysian Bar Council said today.
themalaysianinsider.com
The Bar Council’s National Young Lawyers Committee chair Syahredzan Johan said the circular on the protest scheduled at the Padang Merbok car park, called “Walk for Peace and Freedom”, was issued to Malaysian Bar members this afternoon.
themalaymailonline.com
“The Bar before this has only walked three times,” Syahredzan told Malay Mail Online today. “This will be the fourth time. Each time the Bar has walked, it’s a serious issue. This shows how serious the Malaysian Bar sees the Sedition Act and the current abuse of the Act,” the lawyer added.
themalaymailonline.com
On September 19, 973 members had voted in favour of the motion to repeal the law and for the council to hold the walk. We cannot walk on egg shells with draconian laws hanging over our heads. "The way forward is to engage like debating, discussion and even making an argument," he added. He said that was the reason the council had started a campaign to get the law repealed apart from organising the walk.
themalaysianinsider.com
“The Sedition Act 1948 is antithetical and counter-productive to these values, and to our aspirations for a better Malaysia,” said Leong. “I call on all members and pupils in chambers to please attend the Walk and express your aspirations and support for a better Malaysia premised on peace, harmony, unity, understanding and freedom from fear, intimidation, exploitation, oppression and extremism,” he added.
themalaymailonline.com
The Bar had previously led processions against police abuse and the Peaceful Assembly Bill 2011. The 'Walk for Justice' was held in 2007 where 2,000 lawyers marched 3.5km to the Prime Minister's Department in Putrajaya demanding that a royal commission of inquiry be established to stem the slide in the judiciary. The march succeeded in compelling then-prime minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to set up a royal commission of inquiry into the infamous Lingam Tape on appointment of judges.
malaysiakini.com3 Sept: Since 2010, 14 Malaysians Have Been Charged With Sedition. Nine Malaysians Have Been Charged In 2014 So Far.
The Sedition Act Remains In Force Despite The Prime Minister's Pledge In 2012 To Repeal It
Prime Minister Najib Razak pledged two years ago that his United Malays National Organisation, the centrepiece of the Barisan Nasional coalition, would abolish the Sedition Act. The pledge was part of broad promises of liberalisation to shore up sagging voter support.
After A Flurry Of Sedition Charges In August, Parti Keadilan Rakyat Is Confident That The Ruling Government Will Not Repeal The Sedition Act
(From left) PAS central committee member Dzulkefly Ahmad, PKR strategist Rafizi Ramli, PAS secretary general Mustafa Ali and DAP vice-president Teresa Kok hold a press conference on July 14, 2014.
Image via themalaymailonline.comRafizi Ramli, vice-president of Anwar Ibrahim's Keadilan party, said the anti-sedition movement was necessary because the government would not repeal the law as promised but instead would use it to silence the opposition. "Keadilan is confident that the Sedition Act will not be repealed by the (ruling) Barisan Nasional," he said in a statement.
The Opposition Party Is Now Taking Things Into Their Own Hands With A Nationwide "Mansuh Akta Hasutan" (MAH) Or "Repeal Sedition Act" Campaign
PKR revealed today plans to organise mass public events across the country in a concerted campaign to pressure the federal government into delivering on its over two-year-old pledge to repeal the Sedition Act 1948.
themalaymailonline.com
Dubbed the “Mansuh Akta Hasutan (MAH)” or “Repeal Sedition Act” campaign, the opposition party said it will work with NGOs that are already organising themselves to launch a similar movement.
themalaymailonline.com
“If We Rely On Umno-Barisan Nasional To Repeal The Act, It Will Never Happen. We Have To Rely On Political And Public Pressure To Get The Government To Do So,” Says PKR Vice-President Rafizi Ramli.
“If we rely on Umno-Barisan Nasional to repeal the Act, it will never happen. “We have to rely on political and public pressure to get the government to do so,” newly-minted PKR vice-president Rafizi Ramli said at a news conference at the party’s headquarters here.
yahoo.comWith PKR Leading The Movement, The MAH Campaign Will Seek The Collaboration Of Student Bodies, NGOs, Political Parties, Academicians And The Public
PKR vice-president Rafizi Ramli said the upcoming demonstrations, which would be organised with student bodies and other groups, would be part of several measures to pressure the government to immediately repeal the Act.
thestar.com.my"We believe that most of the rakyat wants the act repelled - and this desire can be achieved through a collaboration of NGOs, political parties, academicians, student movements and the public," he said, adding that it was similar to the Gerakan Mansuh ISA movement in the past.
“Keadilan will take a leading role in supporting the efforts of NGOs in mobilising the MAH campaign that will be launched soon. “We will use our full strength in Parliament, state assemblies, in all states and (party) branches to support and mobilise this campaign,” Rafizi said.
themalaymailonline.com
There Would Be A Nationwide Tour, Demonstrations And A Signature Drive. The Opposition Will Also Call An Emergency Motion At The Next Dewan Rakyat Sitting To Demand For The Immediate Abolishment Of The Act.
The PKR central leadership said in a statement that the campaign will begin this month, with a nationwide tour, and will be called Mansuh Akta Hasutan (MAH or Abolish Sedition Act).
malaysiakini.comThe campaign will involve party de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim, president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail and deputy president Azmin Ali, the statement said.
malaysiakini.comApart from the nationwide tour, PKR lawmakers will also raise an emergency motion in the coming parliamentary meeting to seek the immediate repeal of the Act, and launch a signature campaign in support of a parliamentary petition against the Act that will be presented to Parliament. The party will also work with student bodies and other organisations to hold demonstrations demanding a stop to all acts of “legal provocation” that clamp down on free speech.
themalaymailonline.com
The MAH Campaign Will Make Several Demands For An Effective And Accountable Repeal Of The Sedition Act
The nationwide movement, which will include a series of protests co-organised with student groups and other bodies, will make three demands to the government: to abolish the Sedition Act; for all charges initiated under the Act to be dropped; and to stop any effort to introduce a similar provisions under any new Act.
malaysiakini.comHe also pointed out that Najib, as well as the Attorney General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail, and Inspector General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar should be answerable to sedition charges made so far.
As PKR Announced Their Plans, #MansuhAktaHasutan Started To Trend On Twitter As Malaysians Exploded In An Outrage Over Dr Azmi Sharom's Sedition Charge
Twitter exploded in outrage after an academic was charged with sedition, with the #MansuhAktaHasutan hashtag trending Tuesday night as Malaysians tweeted their support for the campaign against the Sedition Act 1948.
themalaymailonline.com
The #MansuhAktaHasutan Hashtag Is A Similar Movement Started By Bar Council’s National Young Lawyers Committee (NYLC), Who Is Also Spearheading A Campaign To Repeal The Act
Syahredzan said that while the NYLC created the #MansuhAktaHasutan hashtag (Repeal the Sedition Act), someone else came up with the idea of personal tweets to show support. The effort has since gone viral.
themalaymailonline.com
But that’s the easy part for the Bar Council’s National Young Lawyers Committee (NYLC) which is spearheading the campaign for the repeal of the colonial-era law.
yahoo.comFrom Its Nationwide, Year-Long Campaign, NYLC Wants To Be Able To Tell The Government Just How Many Malaysians Want The Sedition Laws Abolished
Syahredzan said the NYLC’s nationwide campaign against the Sedition Act would last year long and target those living in rural areas through road-shows and workshops. The #MansuhAktaHasutan campaign will include a signature drive to show that there is “critical mass” supporting the repeal of the law, Syahredzan said. NYLC expects to be able to tell the government just how many Malaysians want the sedition laws abolished.
themalaymailonline.com
“We have three demands: Repeal the Sedition Act, drop all charges, and once you repeal and drop the charges, do not replace it with an Act that’s similarly draconian,” said Syahredzan.
themalaymailonline.com
NYLC Says “The Bar Has Always Taken The Position That The Sedition Act Must Be Repealed...Every Day, Someone Is Being Charged. We Have To Do Something Now.”
“The Bar has always taken the position that the Sedition Act must be repealed...the Sedition Act is a draconian piece of legislation, anti-democratic and curtails the rakyat’s freedom of speech and expression,” Syahredzan said. “Every day, someone is being charged. We have to do something now,” he added.
themalaymailonline.com