KUALA LUMPUR, July 18: Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak, allegedly does not understand the procedures and mechanisms related before an act can be repealed, especially the Sedition Act 1948.
Lembah Pantai Member of Parliament, Nurul Izzah Anwar said, based on the responses of the Parliament Speaker, the act has connections with the Conference of Rulers (Majlis Raja-Raja) and any abolition requires the consent of the council.
“In July 2012, the Prime Minister put forward that the Sedition Act was repealed and replaced with the National Harmony Act.
“How can he make the public statement and promise the people when he is required to receive the consent of the Conference of Rulers,” she said at a press conference in Parliament today.
She said that it is understood that negotiations are being conducted between the government with certain parties to replace the act.
She said, a copy should have been given to all Members of Parliament, including those from Pakatan Rakyat (PR).
“The Prime Minister’s statement is different from that of the minister’s statement. Finally we can talk about an act where no one knows its contents. How can negotiations be made,” she said.
MP for Batu, Tian Chua said, it is clear that the Prime Minister does not understand the prerequisites for an act before making any announcement.
“This is not a correct way to make a reform. We do not want the Prime Minister to take the easy way and repeal the act and replace it with a new act which is the same in its manner.
Tian Chua said that the Sedition Act is not to protect the institution of Rulers because the Malaysian Constitution is enough for the purpose.
Meanwhile, Bukit Katil MP, Shamsul Iskandar said that the Sedition Act should be repealed because it is in contrary to the promulgation of independence 1957 by former Prime Minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj.