Sungai Petani MP Johari Abdul has been criticised for being “no different than a BN leader” for disregarding the Pakatan Harapan manifesto in his call for Bersatu supreme council member A Kadir Jasin to be probed for sedition for the latter’s comments on the Kedah sultan.

In a statement, Lawyers for Liberty executive director Latheefa Koya (above) reminded him that the manifesto had promised to repeal the Sedition Act 1948.

“Furthermore, Johari has blatantly ignored the decision of the cabinet announced on Oct 11 to impose a moratorium on the usage of the Sedition Act,” she said.

By calling for the law to be used, Latheefa said the PKR lawmaker was akin to being a BN leader.

“The Sedition Act is an archaic British colonial law which was used by the BN to persecute the opposition, civil society and the public.

“[...] By calling for action under the Sedition Act, Johari is showing that he is no different from the BN leaders who trampled over the rakyat's basic right to freedom of speech,” she said.

Last Thursday, Johari said that he would lodge a police report against Kadir for allegedly making seditious remarks against Sultan Sallehuddin Sultan Badlishah in an Oct 30 blog post.

"With this, I urge the police to investigate Kadir under the Sedition Act, because what he wrote can cause prejudice towards Tuanku Sultan Sallehuddin," he had said.

When asked why he was asking for action under a law that the Harapan was considering getting rid of, Johari had said that the Sedition Act remained applicable until it was repealed.

Kadir is media and communications adviser to Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad.