Due to a friend saying that he doesn't know what is the Sedition Act.. i took it upon myself to educate him, my friends and other Malaysians, because, even if you are ignorant as to the existence of the Act, you can still be caught under it, and most likely held under the Internal Security Act, where they can just curb you of your freedom with no fair trail...

That's why i say we should incorporate the Humans Right Act 1996, as i believe that everyone should be innocent till proven guilty, and therefore, all humans should be given a fair trail(article 6).. But I digress, as this is up to the government anyway, not me...

(I'm amazed i still remember my Humans Rights Act stuff.. haha... )

Sedition Act (wikipedia)

The sedition act... as can be seen from the word sedition. means conduct or speech inclining people to rebel against an authority of a state or monarch...

Now before I continue.. No, this act does not encourage you to say things which ruins the image of the government or monarch.. it's the contrary..

It's to curb those who commit sedition...

If you click on the link, you can get the history of it.. so I don't really need to say much, except that it was introduced by the British.. with the intent of curbing opposition rule, and this Act, remained all the way into Malaysia's independence....

So basically if you say anything, defamatory, or which sounds accusing, or which has the slightest inkling of dissing the government and the monarchy, they can capture you and place you under arrest... as the meaning of the word sedition suggests, as long as you do anything or say anything, with the intent to oppose the government and, or the monarchy, they will get you under the act.. Why do you think so many politicians from DAP, PAS, PKR etc... (the opposition in Parliament) were captured?

According to RPK (Malaysia Today) Even Muslims that converted into Christianity are being held.... but i think that one is under the ISA and not the Sedition Act....

Which makes me wonder, how many bloggers will they have to catch? But I digress.. I don't want my freedom curbed just because I decided to express my freedom of speech... (we need article 10 of the HRA..freedom of speech!!)

But that doesn't mean I have nothing to say about this issue... But i would rather say it verbally (besides i'm not a prominent person with a reputation... I doubt that they will catch me? hopefully...). so that there is no evidence.. though actually under the ISA they don't need evidence to imprison you... they actually imprison you under the ISA because they don't have enough evidence.... or they could have brought you to court.. right?? Again I digress...

before i end, a little information about the:

Internal Security Act

Taken from wikipedia, because I'm lazy, the rest of the article is there, so click on the link..
--> The Internal Security Act 1960 (ISA) (Malay: Akta Keselamatan Dalam Negeri) is a preventive detention law in force in Malaysia. The legislation was inherited by Malaysia after it gained independence from Britain in 1957. In essence, it allows for the arrest of any person without the need for trial in certain defined circumstances. Malaysia is one of the few countries in the world whose Constitution allows for preventive detention during peacetime without safeguards that elsewhere are understood to be basic requirements for protecting fundamental human rights.

I just got back from class.. and am going to shower and hit the sack early...

So there you have it.. Remember ignorance is not a plea... it won't get you anywhere by pleading ignorance.. It's just like those poor victims.. who were asked to carry drugs, you know those stories in the newspaper where girls are offered high paying jobs overseas, and when they are about to leave, are handed over something by their "employers" to bring over, which usually contain drugs..

Though those girl plead ignorance, and i believe, most if not all are innocent.. it doesn't make a difference, they are still punished, and some are facing the death sentence... It makes no difference, because the law is strict.. (Dangerous Drug Act) it gives no room for negotiations... Imagine if the real drug dealer says that he is ignorant, and because of that he gets away scot free.. thus the law has no choice...

So girls and guys, becareful of such offers, NEVER, EVER carry something for someone, when travelling.. even if you know the person, make sure you check the item first, before you consider bringing it aboard an airplane for them...

-Oracl3-