AUG 28 — More than two years ago, in May 2021, a member of Sarawak PKR Iswardy Morni was remanded for two days to assist investigations into the statements he made on YouTube allegedly insulting Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah.
He was subsequently charged under Section 4(1)(a) of the Sedition Act 1948.
Muhyiddin Yassin was then the prime minister and Hamzah Zainudin the home minister. According to the latter, the act of insulting the King “is unpatriotic and irresponsible and a crime that can lead to public unrest”.
Successive governments after the 14th General Elections, including the current one, have vowed to abolish or repeal the Act. However, it is also the avowed main principles and policies of every government, past and present, to uphold the sovereignty and nobility of the Malay rulers as constitutional monarchs.
Until the Act is repealed and/or a new law is passed, it is understandable that the Public Prosecutor has fallen back on the Act to address issues that could possibly lead to disharmony and disunity, as well as public unrest.
Until then also, utmost care must be taken to ensure that words uttered do not have a seditious tendency as defined in the Act.
Words having a seditious tendency render the person responsible liable to prosecution under the Act.
