YOURSAY | ‘It’s obvious those lodging the police report are making trouble and wasting police time.’
Police open sedition probe on forum attended by academicians, AG
Newday: Malaysia is not a police state, even though some would think so with this issue at hand.
Just because someone lodged an obviously vexatious police report does not mean the police should drop everything and launch a sedition investigation.
The forum (to discuss the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court) was just that - a forum held in a democratic country. No one was shouting "Down with the king", no one was calling for war.
People were holding a conversation and debate (albeit one-sided due to the non-appearance of four certain professors) about a human rights issue. Where is the sedition?
Investigate those that lodge these vexatious reports. Charge them with sedition as they are the ones working very hard to create divisions in this country.
OMG!: Why not introduce a new law called the ‘Mischievous Police Reports Act’, which puts the onus on those who make reports of sedition?
It could be worded as follows:
"Whoever makes an accusation of seditious comment or statement against another shall produce due attestation of provocation by said comment or statement of such intensity as to provoke feelings of taking violent physical action against such a person that made the alleged seditious comment or statement.
“The accuser shall deposit a bond of RM10,000 in cash or bank cheque at the police station where he lodges the accusation together with a list of the names, addresses, IC numbers and personal signatures of each of the 1,000 persons who claim that they have been provoked.
“In the event that the accusation is found to be without basis, the deposit shall be forfeited by the Malaysian government, and the accuser shall be summoned within seven days to receive 50 lashes with a rotan at least 1cm thick, conducted in public at the same police station where the report was lodged."
That will end this nonsense, once and for all.
JD Lovrenciear: Indeed, it is high time to investigate, charge and prosecute those who fuel seditious discord in our midst by making police reports that are absolutely unfounded and ridiculous.
Grrrrrr 2019: This is quite something, a sedition probe launched on an event attended by the attorney-general.
How will the attorney-general authorise the prosecution of the case in the future, as he was there?
I thought cabinet had instructed the police not to use the sedition law for any investigation, or did I read that wrongly?
Anonymous_be07867c: What is seditious? Even broadening the knowledge on the Rome Statute can be considered seditious?
Can the police define sedition and the seditious remarks made by the group?
It is becoming too cheap to use the word 'sedition'. So much so that every Tom, Dick and Harry can lodge a report with the police when something like this is uttered.
Brave Malaysian: Yes, the police are making a fool of themselves. It’s obvious those making the police report are making trouble and wasting police time. And the police have to fall into the silly trap.
Anonymous_1543386425: Under Pakatan Harapan, it seems as if almost every forum or gathering is attracting police reports and investigations. Is there freedom of speech?
People would be intimidated and be less willing to express themselves. Could some MP ask the home minister for the statistics on this, and how many were charged from such investigations?
ABC123: Instead of blaming the elites for not understanding the views of the rural folks, the government must shape those views.
Malaysia must reflect the aspirations of the best of its people, not the prejudices of the worst of its people.
Stop pandering to prejudice and ignorance. If rural Malays are racist, then you must do all you can to change those views, not make decisions in fear of those views. If a child is wrong, then he must be taught what is right. Not pandered to.
Don’t blame the urban folks. Ask yourself, why are the rural folks not thinking like the urban folks? Why are the rural folks so preoccupied with ‘ketuanan’? Is it a failure in education? Is it a lack of information? Is it lack of exposure to other races?
Is it warped religious indoctrination? Is it lack of access to the Internet? Is it the rise of right-wing views, and if so, why are these views taking hold among the rural folks so easily?
Are they disenchanted by lack of progress, lack of development and therefore see the Chinese as an easy scapegoat?
Address the problems of the rural folk and change their views. Not pander to them by making U-turns and coming out with more racist policies.
How can Malaysia progress if we are forever beholden to the prejudices of our most backward peoples?
Malaysian Malaysian: Very well written. Superb analysis of the situation. I hope Anwar and team read it and take on board the message.
Anonymous_1543918786: The moment meritocracy is not practised, things will go to the dogs.
Look at the developed world, do they have so-called affirmative policies? Things that are not earned are usually not appreciated. Additionally, more will be demanded.
Look at our neighbour, no such policy is practised and yet they are doing fairly well, comparatively.
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