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4 October 2018

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Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad has reiterated his call for the police to cease arresting those who hurled insults at him.

Speaking to reporters in Putrajaya this morning, he said insults would not affect him and politicians must accept criticism…

“That thing (arrest) shouldn’t happen. I don’t mind being insulted by anybody, it’s not going to affect me. There was one case in Penang and I told them (the police) not take any action on them.

“A politician must accept being criticised, being called names,” he added.

He was asked to comment on the recent arrest of Azman Noor Adam under Section 4 of the Sedition Act 1948 for spreading images that allegedly insulted Mahathir on social media (picture, above).

Azman’s brother, Umno supreme council member Lokman Noor Adam, criticised Pakatan Harapan for not objecting to the arrest since in the past, the coalition’s leaders had cried foul when the police used the Sedition Act against them.

Following this, Deputy Law Minister Mohamed Hanipa Maidin and several government lawmakers have since decried the use of the law on Azman.

Back in May, Langkawi police had also detained a man over a similar charge under Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998.

https://www.malaysiakini.com/news/445860

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3 October 2018

malaysiakini.com‏Verified account @malaysiakini

Harapan leaders decry use of Sedition Act on Lokman’s brother

Azman Noor Adam, the brother of Umno supreme council member Lokman, was detained by the police in the early hours of yesterday for allegedly insulting Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad on social media.

Today, de facto Deputy law Minister Mohamed Hanipa Maidin said that other laws ought should have been used instead.

“In my personal view, the Sedition Act should not be used against anybody.

“If, let’s say, any offender breaches a law, it is more proper, in my view, to use other laws to bring the offender to justice,” he told Malaysiakini when contacted.

Similarly, Petaling Jaya MP Maria Chin Abdullah disagreed with using Sedition Act against Azman, especially with plans in the works to abolish the law.

“As far as Harapan is concerned, we have to review the Sedition Act, and we said we will abolish it, that will still be the promise.

“So for me, I feel that there is no reason to use the act,” she said when met in Putrajaya today.

Maria agreed that a moratorium should be applied on all laws under review by Harapan.

“Not just the Sedition Act, but also the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (Sosma), Prevention of Terrorism Act 2015 (Pota) and the Prevention of Crime Act 1959 (Poca),” she added.
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‘IGP must explain’

Like Maria, Kepong MP Lim Lip Eng agreed that a moratorium should be imposed on laws such as the Sedition Act, and further demanded an explanation from inspector-general of police Mohamad Fuzi Harun as to why it continues to be used.

“Any offender should have his or her day in court.

“The IGP should not have used sedition or any act which the new government seeks to repeal or amend. The IGP owes Harapan government and the rakyat an explanation,” the DAP lawmaker told Malaysiakini.
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Also condemning Azman’s arrest was Lawyers for Liberty executive director and PKR supreme council member Latheefa Koya, who urged for his immediate release and for Putrajaya to direct the police to stop using the Sedition Act.

“I think the Home Minister and the Attorney-General’s Chambers should be reprimanding the police for continuing to use (this law).

“Because as far as they (the police) are concerned, they basically think that the law is still there and they will use it as long as it is there.

“Whoever in charge should give directives to the police to use the law no more, respect the manifesto of the government,” she said when contacted.

Promise 27 of Harapan’s election manifesto states that it will revoke a number of “tyrannical” laws, including the Sedition Act.

https://m.malaysiakini.com/news/445792

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https://twitter.com/lim_hulk/status/1047174115155693569

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