KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 19 ― Lawyers will take to the streets and rally against the Sedition Act 1948, after the Malaysian Bar approved a peaceful protest against the law critics contend is misused to quell dissent against the government.
At an extraordinary general meeting (EGM) of the Malaysian legal profession’s body today, lawyers voted through the Bar Council's proposal that was amended to include a march calling for the repeal of the colonial era law.
“Jalan!” Bar Council's National Young Lawyers Committee chair Syahredzan Johan told Malay Mail Online, using the Malay word for “walk”.
Malaysian Bar president Christopher Leong told a press conference after the EGM that the Bar Council would organise the walk “as soon as possible”.
“The Malaysian Bar is against the Sedition Act, the use of it, the abuse of it, because the Malaysian Bar is of the view that you cannot stop discussion, debate, or criticism as these are all integral parts of the thinking and maturing process.
“And we need such discourse, debate and criticisms if we hope to have real understanding, mutual respect and lasting harmony,” said the Bar Council chairman.
Leong said an overwhelming 701 members had voted in favour of the motion, while 13 had rejected it.
He also said that the Malaysian Bar resolved during the EGM to call for the abolition of the Sedition Act, the withdrawal of all charges that are pending, a suspension of the use of the law and for the Act not to be recast into a new law.
“Whilst not advocating rudeness, insults and disrespectfulness, the Malaysian Bar calls upon the Malaysian government to uphold the primacy of the right to and freedom of speech and expression, in particular: freedom of information, academic freedom, journalistic freedom, and freedom to scrutinise, discuss, debate or criticise,” said Leong.
The lawyer also said that the proposed bills drafted by the National Unity Consultative Council (NUCC) to replace the Sedition Act were done with the Bar Council's assistance as the NUCC lacked resources.
“We see that the provisions in the draft bills will go a long way to promoting true and meaningful harmony, unity and mutual respect among Malaysians,” said Leong.
At least 20 people have been caught up in an ongoing sedition dragnet, including opposition lawmakers, student activists, lawyers, Muslim preachers, an academic and a journalist, sparking criticisms that the law was being abused by the government to quell dissent using a law it has promised to repeal.
Earlier today, a student activist was jailed a year for sedition, while a Facebook user was arrested under the 1948 law.
Source: http://m.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/lawyers-to-march-agains...