Kuala Lumpur: Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail refuted claims that the MADANI government is arbitrarily using the Sedition Act 1948 [Act 15] against the public. He clarified that such allegations are not true as there has been no surge in cases investigated under the Act since 2015.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Saifuddin highlighted that the term ‘arbitrarily’ suggests a sharp spike in cases, which the data does not support. He revealed that only three years saw the number of investigation papers opened exceed 100: 120 cases in 2023, 117 in 2020, and 109 in 2015. He emphasized that these figures are relatively consistent, dismissing the claim of arbitrary use.
On the matter of prosecutions, Saifuddin noted that of the 109 investigation papers opened in 2015, only eight cases were brought to court. In 2020, 30 cases out of 117 investigations were prosecuted, while last year, eight cases out of 94 investigations reached the court. He urged for an end to the claims of arbitrary enforcement, asserting that they are baseless.
He further explained that offences under the Act include acts that insult or undermine the dignity and position of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, as well as religiously sensitive remarks that could incite racial tensions and disrupt national harmony.
Meanwhile, Saifuddin Nasution emphasized that the MADANI government upholds the right to peaceful assembly as outlined in Article 10(1)(b) of the Federal Constitution. He noted that 99 percent of the 7,000 assembly notifications received last year proceeded without obstruction. In 2023, the police received nearly 10,000 notifications for peaceful assemblies, with 98 percent taking place without restrictions.
As part of ongoing reforms to the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012, Saifuddin announced proposals to require only notification from organizers, eliminating the need for approval from venue owners.
In addition, he highlighted the economic impact of tourism, noting that tourists from China and India contributed over RM20 billion last year following the government’s Visa Liberalisation Plan. This plan granted visa exemptions to visitors from both countries for a specified period, resulting in RM16 billion from Chinese tourists and RM4.3 billion from Indian tourists between Dec 1, 2023, and Dec 15, 2024.
Saifuddin also mentioned measures taken by the Home Ministry to ensure tourist safety, such as increased patrols in popular tourist areas, more CCTV installations at major attractions, and the deployment of additional tourist police.