LETTER | Amend, not abolish Sedition Act

LETTER | Muda, be woke. The royal institutions have, during these past few years, done much to stand up against racial and religious extremism.

They enabled democracy to remain after the many upheavals and changes of government after the 14th general election and helped foster the passage of the unity government.

Without the royal institutions holding sway against the waves of racial and religious extremism, the nation could have become a nation governed by religion and divided by race.

They have served the people and did the right thing, as the king always serves the people.

Currently, the royal institution has been attacked and ignored by persons and political parties seeking to form a government based on a singular form of religious laws - using racial themes to ferment a bigger division among races and states.

Where politicians have not dared to tread or voice out against divisive extreme voices for fear of inciting one particular race or religion and losing support, the royal institutions have stepped up and batted for the harmony and unity of the nation and its citizens.

Muda and those who now call for the Sedition Act to be totally abolished, do not be selective in memory, remembering only the earlier calls for abolishment and forgetting how the royalty held the nation together in the nation’s recent dark days of political uncertainty and stability.

Even today, they are standing up to racial and religious polarisation while Muda and the government tippy-toe around these issues, anxious about losing supporters and derisive attacks from the opposition parties.

Instead, let’s amend the Sedition Act as proposed by the government to protect the royal institution from acts of provocation.

Do not extinguish the whole Act now, for that would leave the nation and its people without that concern and care of a moderate calming influence between the two political alliances.

Let M’sian democracy mature

Without the Act protecting the royal institutions, they would be open to provocation and attacks with little recourse to constitutional rights except to undignified litigation as plaintiffs.

The nation would lose a voice without racial and religious bias and leanings, a voice of moderation, tolerance and compassion, and an upholder of democracy and rights of the people.

Hopefully, there will be a day soon when our politics reaches maturity and race and religion are not weaponised for political mileage or to divide the people, then the Sedition Act can be abolished.

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.