Relentless master

Viewpoint By Juan L. Mercado |Philippine Daily Inquirer

Next-door Malaysia dashed into the future this September by back-pedaling into the past. Its government has clamped back the 1948 Anti-Sedition Law.

This is the broadest crackdown since the era of strongman leader Mahathir Mohamad, now 89, Reuters news agency reported. Yet, two years ago the multiethnic former British colony appeared set on a path of greater openness.

Malays today make up 51 percent of the population. Chinese constitute 24 percent, and Indians 7 percent.

Cops arrested Malaysiakini reporter Susan Loone, then released her on bail. Malay groups lodged a police report about Loone quoting an arrested opposition politician as saying that he was treated like a criminal while in custody.

University of Malaya law professor Azmi Sharom was detained for commentary on Kuala Lumpurs 2009 political crisis. Eight opposition politicians were charged with sedition for certain statements, some uttered two years back.

Seditious tendency is the legal club. In 1987, under the Mahathir regimes Operation Lalang, over a hundred intellectuals, students, artists and scientists were arrested. The recycled Internal Security Act permits detention without trial.

Todays three-party opposition eroded the ruling coalitions majority in the last two elections. Now, the Anti-Sedition Law selectively clubs its members and activists to undermine the alliance, its said.

Prime Minister Najib Razak is being pressed by conservatives in the ruling United Malays National Organization (Umno) to take a tougher line. Mahathir withdrew support for Najib for being weak. The crackdown is a strong signal Najib is sending to say that hes not weak, notes opposition parliamentarian Ong Kian Ming.

Sapped by embedded scandals, Umno seeks to silence the opposition, John Berthelsen wrote in Asia Sentinel. Najib pledged to scrap the Anti-Sedition Law in 2012, only to shepherd a bill through Parliament that retained many of its provisions.

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Relentless master