KUALA LUMPUR: The government has no plans to amend or repeal the Sedition Act 1948.
Deputy Home Minister Datuk Seri Dr Shamsul Anuar Nasarah said the Act will be maintained for now following a study by the ministry.
"The Home Ministry has conducted a study to assess whether amendments to the Sedition Act should be made to align with the times and the rise of digitalisation, or to draft a new law to address issues related to the 3Rs (race, religion, and royalty).
"Following the study, the ministry presented a cabinet memorandum for policy determination on the matter. The cabinet has agreed in principle that the National Security Council will coordinate the drafting of the National Security Bill to safeguard the country's security from both external and internal threats, including protecting the constitutional monarchy, parliamentary democracy, and inter-religious harmony.
"Regarding the current status of the Sedition Act 1948, the Act will be maintained for now to preserve public order and national security," he said.
He was responding to a question from Dr Kelvin Yii (PH-Bandar Kuching), who asked if the government planned to amend or repeal the Sedition Act so that it only applies to matters that touch on royal institutions and is not misused for other issues.
Shamsul Anuar said the spirit of the Sedition Act, at present, is to primarily monitor matters concerning the 3Rs.
He also denied claims that the government is limiting freedom of speech or preventing people from criticising the government, saying that such actions are allowed within the scope of the law.
"Article 10 of the Federal Constitution clearly states that Malaysians are free to express opinions and speak their minds. However, in respecting this right, it is important that it musn't exceed the limits.
"Therefore, not everything within the scope of the 3Rs is prohibited. It will only be addressed if there is a violation of the Sedition Act, the Penal Code, the Communications and Multimedia Act, and other relevant laws.
"It is preferable that the approach taken by the public is not to openly discuss sensitive issues related to the 3Rs," he said.
He said that in many cases, the actions taken by the police with regards to enforcing the Sedition Act are exaggerated on purpose.
"The police always act in accordance with the law and do not engage in actions outside of the boundaries set. If the public is dissatisfied, we have channels for complaints, such as the misconduct report service provided by the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCC).
"Acts considered seditious include actions that cause hatred, insult, or incite disloyalty to any ruler or government. However, the government always ensures that the rights of the people are respected. But we hope the public adheres to the regulations," he said.