IGP must not interfere in policy debates on Sedition Act, says PKR

Padang Serai MP N. Surendran says IGP Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar's job is strictly confined to law enforcement. – The Malaysian Insider file pic, January 10, 2015.Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar's attempt to drum up support to retain the Sedition Act 1948 by using the Paris attacks as an excuse has been described by a PKR lawmaker today as disturbing and illogical.Padang Serai MP N. Surendran said Khalid, as an Inspector-General of Police and a top civil servant, has no business to intervene publicly on policy or political matters."The IGP's job is strictly confined to law enforcement," he said, in a statement today, responding to Khalid's remarks on Twitter this morning urging Malaysians to draw a lesson from the Paris attacks and the importance of the Sedition Act to the police force.Surendran, a PKR political bureau member, said Khalid's comments were nothing more than a desperate attempt to justify continued usage of the draconian and archaic Act."His claim is without any logic or basis."His interference in policy matters outside his ambit will only further tarnish and damage the reputation of the police force," he said.Surendran said it was disturbing that the IGP has chosen to interfere in the ongoing dispute between the Barisan Nasional ruling government and the opposition and civil society on the matter."How can the Sedition Act possibly protect the country from terrorist attacks? Only good police work and intelligence gathering can prevent (them) from occurring," he said.On the contrary, he said, the Sedition Act criminalises legitimate criticism of the government and the authorities.Khalid today tweeted that laws, such as the Sedition Act, would help police nip the problem of extremism in the bud."Paris attack – Laws like the Sedition Act will surely help @PDRMsia nip the problem in the bud before it escalates. Think bef (before) saying...," he said and reminded Malaysians against making seditious and inflammatory comments that would land them in trouble with the law.His statement came after Defence Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein reportedly said that Malaysia needed to shore up its security in view of the attacks on Paris publication Charlie Hebdo that left 12 people dead.He warned that Malaysia should not take any terror incident lightly.“It is not impossible that our country could face a similar incident," he had said.In November, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, who is also Umno president, had announced at the party’s general assembly that the colonial-era Sedition Act would be maintained following feedback from various quarters.He, however, assured that changes would be made to the act.Najib first announced the plan to abolish the act in June 2012, to be replaced by a National Harmony Act. The Sedition Act was amended five times with the last one in 1975.However, Najib's plan to abolish the act faced objections from Umno leaders and right-wing Malay groups.Of late, there have been growing calls among Pakatan Rakyat leaders, social activists and NGOs to repeal the act given that many, apart from politicians, have been hauled up under this legislation.Alor Star MP Gooi Hsiao Leung said the IGP's latest remarks were totally out of place and irrelevant."What Malaysians want is for the police to stop playing politics and take their job more seriously in tackling and countering militant activities and propaganda."We do not need the Sedition Act, we need a new IGP," he said in a statement today.The PKR international bureau chief raised concern over the authorities’ seriousness in tackling the growing influence of terrorist groups in the country.He questioned how a shop in Bangi selling Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (Isis) militant merchandise and paraphernalia could have gone unnoticed."What has the special task force, Police Cyber Investigation Response Centre (PCIRC) been doing all his time?" he asked, adding that it was common knowledge that groups like Isis were becoming more Internet savvy these days, using social media and the Internet as their platform to attract the young to join their cause. – January 10, 2015.