Kit Siang: Use of oppressive laws contradict spirit of change

KUALA LUMPUR: DAP supremo Lim Kit Siang is against the continued use of oppressive laws.

The former Internal Security Act detainee, who is no stranger to such laws, said the continued use of the laws contradicted the spirit of the New Malaysia.

“I don’t agree with the use of oppressive laws, such as the Sedition Act. Any inclination of repressive action should be reviewed, ” said the Iskandar Puteri member of parliament.

He was responding to the remand of Umno Supreme Council member Datuk Lokman Noor Adam’s brother under the Sedition Act.

Lokman’s brother, Azman Noor, had been remanded for four days for uploading on social media a photograph that allegedly insulted Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

“Any continued use of oppressive laws is against the spirit of change. We want a new Malaysia. I think these are things we have to review.”

He said this at a meet-andgreet session with the voters in Lukut, along with Pakatan Harapan’s Port Dickson by-election candidate Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

PH had pledged to repeal a slew of draconian laws besides the Sedition Act 1948.

This includes the Universities and University Colleges Act 1971, Prevention of Crime Act 1959, Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984 and National Security Council Act 2016, as well as legal provisions involving mandatory death penalty.

Attorney-General Tommy Thomas had said it might take as long as a decade to carry out the law reforms pledged under PH’s manifesto.

The first move in this regard, however, hit a snag when the Dewan Negara rejected the government’s bid to repeal the AntiFake News Act 2018.

Lim also dismissed Pas questioning of Anwar’s eligibility to contest in the by-election.

“I think Pas has reduced itself to a very marginal role in Malaysian politics,” he said while brushing off allegations that despite Anwar being given a full pardon by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, he was nevertheless still a criminal in the eyes of the law.

Anwar is in a seven-cornered fight for the Port Dickson parliamentary seat.

The other candidates are former Negri Sembilan menteri besar Tan Sri Isa Samad, Anwar’s former aide Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan and Pas candidate Mohd Nazari Mokhtar. The rest are independent candidates Stevie Chan, Lau Seck Yan and Kan Chee Yuen.