Charge all extremists, bigots – Teo
KOTA KINABALU: The Sedition Act 1948 is a valid and enforceable Law until or unless it is replaced, said Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) president Datuk Teo Chee Kang.
He noted that since 2008, Teo said racial bigotry, religious intolerance and “right wing” posturing frequently raised their ugly heads.
"The cyber world renders no assistance with its irresponsible postings, knee-jerk responses, impulsive and compulsive reactions, and the tendency to believe in outright lies, half truths and untruths.
"Ironically, it is increasingly difficult to manage information in this highly advanced information era," he said.
Teo, who is also Minister of Special Tasks, said stern actions must be taken against extremists and bigots who only champion rights of their own community to the exclusion of others, those who incite ill feelings among the other races, and those who spread provocative lies via the internet.
If this problem is not nipped in the bud, it may turn into a bigger threat that may destroy the very fabric of our multi-racial society.
"Charge the racial extremists and bigots regardless of their skin colour and religions, regardless of whether they are Chinese, Malays, Indians or Kadazan Dusun, regardless of whether they are Muslims, Christians, Buddhists or Hindus," he said in his policy address during the 25th LDP congress here on Sunday, which was officiated by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.
"However, pursuant to the PM’s political transformation program, and in view of the fact that our Prime Minister had announced that the archaic Sedition Act 1948 be repealed, we can just repeal it.
"What is wrong with replacing the Sedition Act with the proposed Racial Harmony Act which can contain better provisions to deal with the worsening racial relations in the country?"
Teo also lauded Najib's firm stand that "moderation is the foundation of modern Malaysia”, and that “the Federal Constitution was drafted by our past leaders based on politics of compromise and their belief i n national integration as opposed to racial assimilation.”
Teo said the boundary of secularism and theocracy was already well defined i n our Federal Constitution.
Such equilibrium as reflected in the Federal Constitution is a well-balanced one in line with the vision for a moderate and modern Malaysia, thus it must not be disturbed, he said.
He declared that LDP would stand at the forefront to uphold and defend the words and spirit of the Federal Constitution.
"Therefore LDP objects to any plan or effort to elevate the status of Syariah Courts to be at par with the Civil Courts.
"Presently, there are already grey areas on the perceived overlap of jurisdictions between the civil and the Syariah Courts, especially on the issues of custody of children, marriages and even disputes on the right over someone’s dead body.
"If we allow such agenda to proceed, it will turn things from bad to worse," Teo pointed out.
On another note, Teo urged the Federal Government to consider giving recognition to the Unified Examination Certificate (UEC).
He said many other countries who adopted federal systems have differing education systems from one state to another.
Teo suggested for the Federal Government to study the curriculum of Chinese independent secondary schools.
“I am confident that the curriculum of Chinese independent secondary schools do not conf lict with that of government schools.”
He said the UEC examination that Senior Three students take is similar to A-Level examination.
“UEC is recognized by many renowned universities i n the world, including United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, United States, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore and others.
“Students who possess UEC can be accepted into the first year of university without wasting a year’s time for matriculation courses.”
For instance, Teo said, a child of his relative successfully enrolled into first-year architecture course at RMIT University in Melbourne, Australia with UEC; he is now working as an architect in Kota Kinabalu. Another also registered for first-year medicine course at Melbourne University with UEC.
“Ironically, local universities in Malaysia do not recognize UEC. Therefore, our country fails to retain talents who will be future catalysts of nation building.”
LDP also welcomed Najib’s announcement that the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) report on illegal i mmigrants in Sabah would be presented in Parliament early next month.
“Whatever inconvenient truths or findings that may be revealed in the report, the BN Government should take the bull by the horn and resolve the chronic problem that has menaced Sabah for decades.
“LDP is committed to play an active role in the State Barisan Nasional Committee on illegal immigrants and citizenship to resolve the problem once and for all,” Teo said.