Archive for category Sedition

Malaysians must give serious attention to the latest Oxford Internet Institute (OII) Report on “The Global Disinformation Order: 2019 Global Inventory of Organised Social Media Manipulation” as it gives a timely warning of the national risks if fake news and hate speech to incite inter-racial and inter-religious polarisation in Malaysia are allowed untrammelled licence

Malaysians must given serious attention to the latest Oxford Internet Institute (OII) Report on “The Global Disinformation Order : 2019 Global Inventory of Organised Social Media Manipulaiton” as its give a timely warning of the national risks if fake news and hate speech to incite inter-racial and inter-religious polarisation in Malaysia are allowed untrammeled licence.

Fake news and hate speech are evil influences by themselves, but when coupled with the agenda to incite inter-racial and inter-religious polarisation in plural Malaysia, they become exceedingly toxic and destructive which must be checked if the fabric of Malaysian society is not to be torn asunder.

The latest OII report finds that organised social media manipulation has more than doubled since 2017, with 70 countries using “computational propaganda” to manipulate public opinion.

Facebook is the platform of choice and is used in formally organised campaigns taking place in 56 countries.

The report states that such tools are used in 45 democracies, by politicians and political parties, to amass fake followers or spread manipulated media to garner voter support. Read the rest of this entry »

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Great challenge of Malaysian youths is to ensure that the goodwill, peace, tolerance and harmony of real-life Malaysia do not deteriorate to resemble the animosity, intolerance and extremism of social-media Malaysia

In my recent special message to the youths of Sarawak, especially those in the 16 – 25 age group, I picked as the first of three challenges their ability to save Malaysia to become a top world-class nation of unity, justice, freedom, excellence and integrity instead of becoming a divided, failed, rogue and kleptocratic state.

I said many would ask whether Malaysia had not been saved from such a trajectory in the historic and miraculous 14th General Election on May 9, 2018 and why was it necessary to save Malaysia from such a disastrous fate once again?

The answer to this question has not sufficiently understood, realised or appreciated by Malaysians.

The answer is Yes, Malaysia had been saved from the trajectory towards a divided, failed, rogue and kleptocratic state on May 9, 2018, but the mission of a New Malaysia where the country becomes a top world-class nation of unity, freedom, justice, excellence and integrity cannot be accomplished within one general election cycle but is a long-term struggle lasting a decade or more, especially after the devastation and depredations of the last government which won for Malaysia the infamous and ignominious appellation of a global kleptocracy.

There are people who wants to wipe out the historic and miraculous decision of May 9, 2018 and restore the country into the hands of those who preach an alliance of klepto-theocracy, through the untrammeled spread of fake news and hate speech to incite inter-racial and inter-religious polarisation and conflict, and who do not mind a big racial and religious conflagration in Malaysia which prompted some to openly talk about “rindu May 13”!

If Malaysians miss the present opportunity to reform Malaysia from a kleptocratic state to become a top world-class nation of unity, justice, freedom, excellence and integrity, there would not be a second chance again. Read the rest of this entry »

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Free all arrested under Sedition Act as Pakatan Harapan government has promised to revoke it under Promise 27 of the 14th General Election Manifesto

Bebaskan semua tahanan di bawah Akta Hasutan kerana kerajaan Pakatan Harapan sememangnya telah berjanji untuk menghapuskan Akta tersebut menerusi Janji 27 dalam Manifesto Pilihanraya Umum ke-14

Pihak polis harus membebaskan semua tahanan di bawah Akta Hasutan kerana kerajaan Pakatan Harapan sememangnya telah berjanji untuk menghapuskan Akta tersebut menerusi Janji 27 dalam Manifesto Pilihanraya Umum ke-14.

Penahanan bekas ketua pemuda PSM Khalid Ismath dan individu-individu lain di bawah Akta Hasutan 1948 adalah satu perbuatan yang tidak boleh dipertahankan memandangkan ianya bertentangan dengan apa yang telah dijanjikan oleh Pakatan Harapan.

Tindakan Raja Permaisuri Agong Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah yang menyatakan rasa kedukacitaan baginda terhadap tindakan penahanan oleh pihak polis ini adalah satu tindakan yang amat terpuji.

Semua penjawat awam dan pihak polis seharusnya membiasakan diri mereka dengan manifesto PRU ke-14 Pakatan Harapan untuk memahami semangat, falsafah serta hala tuju kerajaan Pakatan Harapan sungguhpun undang-undang dan dasar-dasar negara masih belum lagi diubah supaya mereka mengambil tindakan yang bertentangan dengan manifesto kerajaan semasa dalam usaha membina sebuah Malaysia baru.
Read the rest of this entry »

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“Alliance of Civilisations” on the domestic and international fronts the best antidote to the rise of hate, fear and intolerance through the abuse of social media

Inisiatif UNAOC di peringkat domestik dan antarabangsa adalah penawar terbaik untuk kebangkitan sentimen kebencian, ketakutan dan tidak bertolerasi yang semakin menjadi-jadi melalui penyalahgunaan media sosial

Semalam, Indonesia telah menyekat akses Internet di Papua berikutan kebimbangan bahawa kenyataan perkauman dan jelek yang dimuat naik di dalam talian (online) akan mencetuskan lebih banyak protes keganasan di wilayah tersebut.

Tunjuk perasaan dan rusuhan menyebabkan beberapa bandar di Papua lumpuh minggu ini, dengan bangunan-bangunan dibakar dan pertempuran antara polis dan penunjuk perasaan tercetus di wilayah paling timur negara Indonesia itu.

Pemberontakan terhadap pentadbiran di Jakarta telah berlarutan untuk beberapa dekad di wilayah kepulauan tersebut, yang mana berkongsi sempadan dengan negara Papua New Guinea.

Indonesia memperlahankan perkhidmatan internet beberapa hari lalu bagi mengelak penyebaran berita tidak benar, komen provokatif dan perkauman yang menyasarkan populasi etnik Melanesia di Papua. Namun, ia hanya disekat sepenuhnya pada lewat malam semalam.

Awal bulan ini, apabila Perdana Menteri India, Narendra Modi bertindak memansuhkan Perkara 370 Perlembagaan India yang memberikan Jammu dan Kashmir (J & K) status istimewa dalam Kesatuan India, akses Internet disekat untuk kali yang ke-53 tahun ini.

Di India, tahun lalu, terdapat 65 sekatan dilakukan, manakala 176 sekatan berlaku sepanjang lapan tahun lalu, termasuk larangan selama enam bulan pada tahun 2016. Read the rest of this entry »

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Zakir Naik has compounded his abuse of Malaysia’s hospitality by attacking the Chinese Malaysians as “old guests” after attacking the loyalty of the Indian Malaysians

Islamic preacher Zakir Naik has compounded his abuse of Malaysian hospitality by attacking the Chinese Malaysians as “old guests” after attacking the loyalty of the Indian Malaysians.

As reported by Malaysiakini today, Zakir Naik made his offensive remarks about Chinese Malaysians while talking about how Islam had spread peacefully in the region through traders.

Zakir Naik referred to himself as “new guest” and the Chinese Malaysians as “old guests”, declaring that “if you want the new guest to go first, ask the old guests to go back”.

Zakir Naik said the Chinese Malaysians “aren’t born here, most of them. May be the new generations, yes”.

Zakir Naik has trespassed into a territory he knows nothing about to make a totally unsolicited offence.

I do not have the exact statistics but I reckon that the number of Chinese Malaysians born in China today is less than one per cent or totally inconsequential, and that over 99 per cent of Chinese Malaysians are local born and loyal to Malaysia! Read the rest of this entry »

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Malaysian authorities should not allow foreigners to abuse their privileges of becoming a Permanent Resident to create inter-racial and inter-religious tension and conflict in the country

The Malaysian authorities should not allow foreigners to abuse their privileges of becoming a Permanent Resident to create inter-racial and inter-religious tension and conflict in the country.

It is most regrettable that Islamic preacher Zakir Naik had created mischief in his recent speech in Kota Bharu when he compared the Hindus in Malaysia to the Muslims in India and said that the former enjoyed more than 100% rights in Malaysia compared to Muslims in India.

He further said that it was unfortunate that Hindus in Malaysia, despite the benefits, are more loyal to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi than to Mahathir.

Zakir Naik had cast baseless aspersion on the Malaysian Indian community who have made great sacrifices and contributions to the building of present-day Malaysia and made a most mischievous and deplorable attempt to create inter-racial and inter-religious tension, misunderstanding and conflict in Malaysia.

The Malaysian authorities should act on the most mischievous and irresponsible statement by Zakir Naik.

(Media Statement by DAP MP for Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Siang in Kuala Lumpur on Monday, 12th August 2019)

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Call on AG Tommy Thomas to call up the papers to drop the prosecution’s cross-appeal to reinstate Haris Ibrahim’s jail sentence on his sedition conviction so that Haris will not become become a second Wan Ji

The Attorney-General Tommy Thomas should call up the papers and drop the prosecution’s cross-appeal to reinstate a jail sentence against Haris Ibrahim to ensure that Haris will not become a second Wan Ji.

Pakatan Harapan had made a specific Promise 27 in the 14th General Election to revoke the Sedition Act 1948 among other oppressive laws, and unless and until this promise is fulfilled by legislation in Parliament, the Attorney-General should review all sedition cases pending before the courts.

Haris’ appeal to quash a Kuala Lumpur High Court ruling which substituted Haris’ eight-month jail sentence for sedition with a RM4,000 fine is set for hearing by the Court of Appeal on August 26.

(Media Comment by DAP MP for Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Siang in Gelang Patah on Tuesday, 23rd July 2019)

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To avoid the Wan Ji mishap from happening again, all DPPs  should read the Pakatan Harapan Manifesto on New Malaysia and seek any new instructions from the Attorney-General if they had queries especially with cases before the last general election

The clarification from Attorney-General Tommy Thomas that he was not aware of the prosecution’s cross-appeal in the sedition
case of independent preacher Wan Ji Wan Hussain until a new sentence was issued on Tuesday has laid to rest concerns about the commitment of Pakatan Harapan government to restore the principles of liberty and justice to  Malaysians.

This was why I had tweeted “Shocked by enhancement of Wan Ji’s sedition sentence. Injustice should be rectified.” on Tuesday itself, and my political secretary, Shahredzan
Johan had asked the prosecution to explain the reason for asking the court to enhance Wan Ji’s sentence.

To avoid the Wan Ji mishap from happening again, all DPPs  should read the Pakatan Harapan Manifesto on New Malaysia and seek any new instructions from the Attorney-General if they had queries especially with regard to cases before the last general elections.

(Media Statement by DAP MP for Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Siang in Gelang Patah on
Saturday, July 13, 2019)

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What an irony! Will Utusan Malaysia agree that it should be charged in court under the Sedition Act for inciting hatred by peddling the lie DAP wants to abolish the system of constitutional monarchy and turn Malaysia into a republic?

Today, the UMNO mouthpiece Utusan Malaysia carried the front-page headline “Akta Hasutan perlu dikekalkan – MASIH RELEVAN” quoting two former Inspector-Generals of Police, Tun Hanif Omar and Tan Sri Musa Hassan who want the Sedition Act to be continued, not to curb freedom of speech but to avoid tensions and feelings of ill will between races and religions.

Three days ago, in the Mingguan Malaysia weekend column, Awang Selamat, which is the name for Utusan Malaysia’s editorial voice, violated the Sedition Act and incited racial and religious sentiments with the dastardly lie that the DAP wants to do away with the system of constitutional monarchy by turning Malaysia into a republic!

This is a downright, malicious and seditious lie. Read the rest of this entry »

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Discomfiting glare falls on journalists after sedition rap

BY Joseph Sipalan | MMO
September 8, 2014

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 8 — Journalists in Malaysia have been thrust under the unaccustomed glare of the spotlight, grappling with the startling arrest of one of their number in a sedition blitz that has snagged politicians and an academic over the past couple of weeks.

The detention of Malaysiakini journalist Susan Loone drew silent indignation among many in the industry, who saw no call for punitive action against a reporter simply doing her job.

Malaysia, already low on a key gauge of press freedom, could sink further. The World Press Freedom Index 2014 , released by global media watchdog, Reporters Sans Frontières, ranked Malaysia at 147th out of a total of 180 nations., tumbling 23 places from 2013.

Loone was detained on September 4 and reportedly questioned for nine hours in connection to police reports lodged against her and Malaysiakini over an article she wrote related to the police’s recent crackdown on the Penang Volunteer Patrol Unit (PPS). Read the rest of this entry »

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Define sedition for us simple folk

By Dato’ Dr Amar-Singh HSS and Datin Dr Lim Swee Im | MMO
7 September 2014

SEPTEMBER 7 — The recent spate of illogical arrests for alleged sedition has confused many of us. It seems that any simple statement can be viewed as sedition and seems to depend on personal interpretation. In view of this can we suggest that the authorities circulate guidelines as to what constitutes sedition from their point of view.

To aid us some examples are listed below. Which of these would be considered seditious? Please enlighten us so we can be careful not to upset the sensitivities of the government. Please note that we are just quoting what has been said by others or reported in media and in no way are uttering these potentially seditious comments.

Example 1: Describing our national football team as duds?

Many Malaysians have attested to this and it is supported by the extremely poor performance of the team. Most of us just want a good football team we can be proud of, and feel that speaking out would be constructive. But it can be construed that criticising the team is an affront to our national pride of “Malaysia Boleh” and may “raise discontent or disaffection amongst the … inhabitants of Malaysia” as stated under the Sedition Act 1948.

Example 2: Calling non-Malays “pendatang”? Read the rest of this entry »

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What next?

By Christine Lai | TMI
September 6, 2014

“Even the Chinese like it; they buy a lot”. I looked more closely at the piece of lingerie in my hand. Yes, that’s right, lingerie or in plain English — underwear of the female kind. I didn’t know whether to laugh or to cry. What, now even underwear has gone racist, is it?

I wanted to ask the enthusiastic salesgirl, “So how about the Indians, they don’t like?” But I kept my peace. Who knows, if I open my big mouth and get overheard by some zealous patriot who feels insulted about their ‘rights’ to inner fashion, I might get a slew of police reports lodged against me. Which pity our men-in-blue, they may then have to waste their precious time hauling puny little me in for investigation under the Sedition or whatever Act for promoting ill-will and inciting hatred in society. Look, they already have their hands full with honourable MPs, ADUNs, oh, and don’t forget university lecturers. I should just keep my mouth shut and pray like a good Malaysian.

Which I do. Pray, I mean; though I am not too sure about the “good” Malaysian bit. Nowadays if I listen or read too much, sometimes I wonder. After all, sometime back my ‘kind’ has been called ‘pendatang’ and recently anti-Malay, anti-Islam, anti-bumiputra and arrogant. And if I voted opposition, for sure I am classified anti-government. That’s a lot of A’s but all not ‘good’. Despite that, I am still Malaysian, right — at least I think so. Last I checked my Kad Pengenalan, it’s still blue and the words imprinted on it.

If I were made of lesser stuff (not that I am great stuff, but just a matter of speech), I would really be very doubtful of my status as a Malaysian. I am supposed to feel good about being Malaysian, especially with all that ra ra ra parade, videos and speeches made just about a week ago, on August 31st. I anticipate being treated to a second round in about two weeks’ time come Sept 16th. More of that “How far we have come as a nation united in diversity” line, blah blah blah. Which apparently for some means that I can only be Malaysian if I do, say or think certain things a certain way, like ‘them.’ Read the rest of this entry »

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112 NGOs band together to fight Sedition Act

BY JENNIFER GOMEZ | TMI
5 September 2014

A movement dubbed “Abolish the Sedition Act” (GHAH) was launched today in response to the use of the draconian law as a means of political repression and terror.

A total of 112 civil society organisations are part of this movement, which said it wants to bury the colonial-era law if Malaysia is to be a truly independent nation.

“The Sedition Act is clearly being misused to protect the government and its interests, clamp down on the opposition and dissidents, make certain issues off limits, stifle civil liberties and create a climate of fear reminiscent of the worst days under the iron-fisted Mahathir regime,” said Lawyers for Liberty executive director Eric Paulsen at a press conference today.

He said the movement was concerned with the selective prosecution under the act, adding that the Attorney-General was targeting government critics.
“Over the past month, the act has been indiscriminately used in a new wave of political repression and terror and whose targets have included elected representatives and lawyers who have a public duty to speak on matters of public interest,” Paulsen said.

The movement’s demands include the repeal of the act and for existing sedition charges to be dropped. Read the rest of this entry »

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