MP SPEAKS Hishamuddin Rais will be in the Court of Appeal at 9 am tomorrow. Going to court is nothing unusual for Hisham. However, this might be the last time he would be walking freely in and out of court for awhile.
Last year, the High Court convicted him guilty under the Sedition Act. If the Court of Appeal dismisses Hisham's appeal and upholds the verdict, Hisham will be sentenced to RM1,000 fine and nine month imprisonment.
We will know his final fate by tomorrow.
Hisham is one of the speakers at the rally on May 13, 2013, after the 13th general election. The rally was held to highlight discrepancies and weaknesses in the country's electoral system.
Besides Hisham, five others have also been charged for sedition: Safwan Anang, Adam Adli, Harris Ibrahim, Thamrin Ghafar and myself. While the trials for Thamrin and me are ongoing, others, too, have been convicted like Hisham.
Sedition Act is the latest lethal weapon for Najib. The embattled and discredited prime minister will use all the draconian elements in our legal system to clamp down dissenting voice.
Najib wants to silent critics by dragging them to court and jailing them. He intends to create a culture of fear by intimidation and repression.
Hisham is only one of many activists, civil society actors and political leaders experiencing crackdown. Many have been charged and awaiting to go to prison. Many more may become victims to the increasing autocratic trend under Najib's rule.
We cannot allow this to happen. We cannot allow Najib to beat us into submission. We cannot allow the PM to get away with alleged corruption and abuses of power.
No choice but to continue to believe
Hisham might be the first to be imprisoned for sedition.
We must make our stand clear by standing in solidarity with Hisham, and with the struggle against Sedition Act. For this, I will be at Court of Appeal in Putrajaya tomorrow morning.
I know it is very likely that I might be next in the line to go to prison. That is not a problem. At times, an individual's freedom might be the price for the freedom to all individuals.
I urge my friends, my fellow party members and members of public to come to court at 9 am, Monday May 16, to join the solidarity gathering for Hishamuddin Rais.
Our action is not only to extend support for an activist who has been relentlessly fighting for democratic rights and liberty, but it is also an expression of hope.
We believe our action will eventually make a difference, through our effort and conviction, things will change to be better. And, my friends, we have no other choice but to continue holding on to this belief.
Say no to the Sedition Act! No to corruption! Save Malaysia now!
TIAN CHUA is PKR’s Batu MP and party vice-president. He was detained under the now defunct Internal Security Act alongside Hishamuddin Rais and three others, in 2001. The Appeals Court in 2014 ruled the detentions unlawful and awarded the ex-detainees RM4.5 million. The government is appealing the quantum awarded.
