Surendran laments ‘shameful’ silence from PH on Tony Pua’s sedition probe

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Former PKR vice president N Surendran has lamented the “shameful” silence from Pakatan Harapan and DAP lawmakers on the sedition probe against former Damansara MP Tony Pua.

“Sedition probe on Pua, yet Harapan/DAP mostly silent – quite shameful.

“How low my old comrades have sunk,” Surendran posted on X yesterday.

The former Padang Serai MP was commenting on the probe against Pua under the Sedition Act 1948 over his Facebook posts criticising the Pardons Board’s decision to reduce former premier Najib Abdul Razak’s prison sentence.

Inspector-General of Police Razarudin Husain said Pua’s remarks were seditious for criticising the Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s power to grant pardon and inciting others to hate the royal institution.

Yesterday, the former lawmaker was questioned for more than an hour at the Bukit Aman police headquarters in Kuala Lumpur and later had his laptop seized.

Although DAP chairperson Lim Guan Eng was among several party leaders who accompanied Pua yesterday, the former refused to comment on the matter, saying he would convey his views through the party’s internal channels.

Former Bangi MP Ong Kian Ming also recently called on the DAP leadership to make its position clear on the 1MDB scandal, the investigation against Pua, and the party’s overall commitment to institutional reforms.

Surendran recalled Harapan’s vehement condemnation of the Sedition Act while it was in the opposition.

“Below is (prime minister-cum Harapan chairperson) Anwar (Ibrahim) sitting next to me and condemning the Sedition Act, when we were in opposition, years ago.

“Promises easily made – after getting power all forgotten,” the lawyer rued.

Harapan, in its electoral manifesto for the 15th general election in 2022, promised to repeal the Sedition Act.

The government then agreed in principle to study amendments to the British-era law to ensure the legislation was only used to protect the royal institutions from acts of provocation.

However, the government does not appear to be making any efforts to repeal the Sedition Act.

On the contrary, authorities have invoked the Sedition Act in several high-profile cases recently. – Malaysiakini