We are very disturbed by reports in the media that the authorities are allegedly investigating former Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad under the Sedition Act. We are similarly disquieted over the summoning and questioning under the same Act of certain lawyers due to motions that they had proposed at the recent Bar Council AGM.
We have consistently stood by the principle that the Sedition Act must be abolished, regardless of who they are intended for.
One struggles to see how the nation’s security could be threatened by an annual meeting of a white-collar professional body, or for that matter, the words of a 90-year old former statesman who has spent the better part of his life in its service. Security laws should be used to protect the nation against violent, existential threats rather than to settle political disputes.
Indeed, there are far more serious matters and alleged offences that ought to be occupying the attention of the authorities today.
We believe that all right-thinking Malaysians share this sentiment and want no action to be taken either against Dr Mahathir or the lawyers.
Instead, with all the recent revelations against the Prime Minister be it on 1MDB or the transfer of huge sums of money into his personal account, surely the authorities would have enough evidence to take legal action against Prime Minister Najib Razak.
