Retaining the Sedition Act 1948 is for the good of all.
Assistant Minister in the Chief Minister’s Department (Islamic Affairs), Datuk Daud Abdul Rahman said this, adding that the government will be fair about it, and will only act against those who threaten the harmony of the country.
Acknowledging that a small minority wants the Act abolished, Daud pointed out that Malaysia is home to many ethnic groups and the government wants to avoid creating unwanted racial issues.
He was speaking to reporters after handing over welfare to 59 recipients at Tabung Baitulmal Sarawak (TBS) yesterday.
When as a minister you are facing a lot of questions about why you award large projects to yourself, a sedition act comes in mighty handy.
You lock the critics up and say they are disrupting harmony by creating upset and destabilising the government.
This is particularly the case when you are awarding projects to yourself using religious funds, like the Baitulmal.
Then you can say critics are disrupting religious and racial harmony as well.
After all, why risk a judgement on the accuracy of the claims, when the facts plainly demonstrate that the claims are true?