Even as the Home Minister denied that he was on a collision course with the Prime Minister over the Sedition Act, the Penang Chief Minister weighed in today and said he should toe the line or quit.
"Such defiance by Ahmad Zahid is unacceptable. Datuk Seri Najib must provide certainty and clarity that he is committed to abolishing the act by demanding that Zahid toe the line, reverse his stand and support the abolition.
"Or else Zahid should resign from Cabinet," said Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng in a statement today.
He said Home Minister Datuk Seri Ahmd Zahid's (pic) stand that the act should not be abolished is not only open defiance of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s promise but also a betrayal of Barisan Nasional's general election slogan of “A Promise Fulfilled”.
Najib had in July last year announced that the Sedition Act would be replaced with a National Harmony Act, after repealing the Internal Security Act (ISA) and the Emergency Ordinance (EO).
If the act is not abolished, than Najib must explain to the people why he is breaking BN’s promise, Lim demanded.
He dismissed Zahid's claim that to abolish the Sedition Act would mean that there was no law to regulate offences such as seditious content, slander, accusation or condemnation.
"This is not only wrong but also ridiculous as there are criminal provisions in the Penal Code and civil defamation action to deal with such offences."
He said that the Sedition Act had been abused and used against opposition politicians.
Lim said that from his own experience as a victim of the Sedition Act, "it is clear that Zahid is intent on retaining such oppressive laws so that it can be used against Pakatan Rakyat leaders". - July 7, 2013.
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