The police have said that DAP MP for PJ Utara Tony Pua, PKR MP for Pandan Rafizi Ramli and Edge Media Group owner Tong Kooi Ong are being investigated under Section 124 of the Penal Code. A senior police source has confirmed with Malaysiakini that the three are being probed for alleged activities detrimental to parliamentary democracy.
Pua, Rafizi and Tong are looking at criminal charges which may sent them to jail for up to 20 years.
The offences of “activities detrimental to parliamentary democracy” are new-fangled offences in Sections 124B to 124N introduced by the Penal Code (Amendment) Act 2012 which was passed by Parliament in 2012, given the Royal Assent on 18th June 2012 and gazetted on 22nd June 2012.
The main provisions are:
Section 124B: “Whoever, by any means, directly or indirectly, commits an activity detrimental to parliamentary democracy shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to twenty years.”
Section 124C: “Whoever attempts to commit an activity detrimental to parliamentary democracy or does any act preparatory thereto shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to fifteen years.”
Section 124D (1): “Whoever, by any means, directly or indirectly, prints, publicises, sells, issues, circulates or reproduces any document or publication detrimental to parliamentary democracy shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to fifteen years.”
Section 124E (1): “Any person who, without lawful excuse, has in his possession any document or publication detrimental to parliamentary democracy or any extract therefrom, shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to ten years.”
If any MP had asked whether the expose of the 1MDB scandal or any other scandal involving Ministers or even the Prime Minister could come under the new Penal Code offences of “activities detrimental to parliamentary democracy”, he or she would be regarded as mad or totally deficient in mental capacity.
Now, it would appear that madness has become a normality in certain circles in government.
Yesterday, I had said: “A darkness is descending on Malaysia.”
I had not expected the darkness to descend so fast.
I want to ask Datuk Seri Najib Razak: Mr. Prime Minister, what are you turning Malaysia into?
Why do you want turn patriots into criminals?