Academic freedom, moderation and the Sedition Act

suppadmin | September 14, 2014

SUPP is deeply concerned with the recent increased in number of persons being charged with sedition under Sedition Act, said Secretary general, Dato’ Sebastian Ting.

In a statement, Ting said the party is particularly concerned with the sedition charge against law lecturer Assoc Prof Dr Azmi Sharom under Section 4(1) (b) and Section 4(1)(c) of the Sedition Act over his purported comments made on online portal regarding the 2009 Perak crisis as they were of the opinion that Dr Azmi should not be charged with sedition under the Sedition Act for the following reasons;

(1) We should encourage lively academic freedom…

Dr Azmi is law lecturer at University Malaya and being a learned and progressive law lecturer it would naturally follow that he would take keen interest in the development of the law in Malaysia and around the world. The 2009 Perak crisis is an important Constitutional and Administrative Case law in our Country. Law students, lawyers and Law Professors will continue to visit , study, review and give appropriate comments on this case. This is inevitable.

Indeed law professors from Universities throughout the world are always very active in debates, writing articles and attending conferences. They express their views on important developments of law in their own countries..

Back home in Malaysia, we should also likewise encourage law professors and students active discussions on decided cases with the sole objective of promoting a healthy development of the law in Malaysia. Active and meaningful discussions will greatly enrich our minds with knowledge.

(2) Moderation

We must actively promote and pursue the path of moderation. Malaysia is blessed with various ethnicities, religions and cultures and indeed we are proud that we have peace and harmony all these years. For the long term good of our country we cannot afford not to be moderate. The majority of us are moderates, the silent majority. We must genuinely respect and totally accept each other for what we are and also who we are, as we reach out with our sincere hands of Malaysianship.

Lively, meaningful and matured discussions will surely promote moderation of views and in the long term will bring all Malaysians together.

In conclusion SUPP hopes that the Attorney General would take urgent consideration and unconditionally drop/withdraw the sedition charge against Law Professor Dr Azmi Sharon.

Meanwhile, Publicity Chief, Adam Yii said Malaysia Day on September 16 is one of the three most important dates in recent Sarawak history for Sarawakians. On September 16, 1963, the Federation of Malaysia was formed with four independent nations, namely, Federated States of Malaya, Singapore, Sarawak and Sabah. Malaysia Day on September 16 is not widely known nor celebrated before while the focus and celebration has always been on Hari Kebangsaan on August 31st. Hari Kebangsaan on August 31st is naturally another one of the 3 most important dates.

Lastly, the least known important date is Sarawak Independence Day on July 22. Sarawak gained its independence on July 22, 1963 and became one of the four independent nations to form the Federation of Malaysia on September 16, 1963. Thus, Sarawak has very short standalone independent nation status for less than 3 months. However, Sarawak Independent Day on July 22 is now celebrated in Sarawak with public holiday since 2012.

Many Sarawakians now question the validity of August 31st as Malaysia Independent Day as this date was actually the formation of the Federated States of Malaya. However, it should not be a big issue if all the three dates are accorded with the same importance, prominence and recognition.