COMMENT | Racial, religious laws must not sacrifice freedom of speech

COMMENT | Pusat Komas welcomes the statement made by the Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Azalina Othman Said over the government’s plan to introduce new legislation to regulate the use of 3R (race, royalty and religion) to promote unity.

For far too long, Malaysia has been entangled with the plight of the use of 3R on two separate levels: Politicians and political parties using 3R to monger fear amongst the rakyat for their political interests, and the grassroots level where 3R is used as a shield to silence dissidents under the pretext of preserving peace and unity in the country.

Many activists, civil societies and everyday people were investigated, charged, and sanctioned unfairly due to their criticisms of the government of the day.

On the other hand...