Sedition Act: Persecution by Prosecution

International Community of Social Democrats Shows Solidarity with Karpal

The International Conference of The Progressive Alliance (PA), hosted by the Tunisian Social Democratic party Ettakatol, was held yesterday at The Ramada Plaza Hotel, Tunis, Tunisia. With the theme ‘Decent Work Worldwide’, It enjoyed overwhelming participation from social democratic political parties worldwide.

Executive Secretary of DAP International Affairs Bureau, Howard Lee Chuan How was invited to represent DAP & Malaysia in delivering a workshop on ‘Progressive Campaign Tools’ following the DAP’s results in the recently held 13th Malaysian General Elections. This is one of three workshops conducted during this conference, aimed at providing delegates an opportunity to learn from the successes of recent campaigns, as well as to share best practices.

One of the goals of the conference was to also formalise the structure of PA, in which a Board has been agreed to be its core working body. As an active player in the Asian regional scene of social democratic activism, DAP was invited to join as a member of the said Board. Howard Lee represented the DAP in the convening of the first Board of Progressive Alliance (B-PA) meeting held during the conference.

Howard Lee made a passionate plea to the newly convened B-PA to stand in Solidarity with the recently convicted National Chairman of DAP Malaysia under the draconian Sedition Act. Karpal Singh, who is also the member of Parliament for Bukit Gelugor was found guilty of insulting the Perak Sultan during the Perak constitutional crisis in 2009. The B-PA acknowledged the plea and extends ‘deep sympathy, concern and solidarity’ to Comrade Karpal Singh, and will be deliberating on the matter in more detail in days to come.

Howard Lee, who is also the State Assemblyman for Pasir Pinji, in his capacity as a Board member urged for the B-PA and the international community at large to condemn the Malaysian Attorney General Chamber’s selective prosecution of the ruling regime’s political rivals, especially by using archaic and outdated laws like the Sedition Act.

“This is a clear case of ‘persecution by prosecution’ on the part of the AG’s Chamber. The Prime Minister himself announced on 11th July 2012 that the sedition Act will be repealed to make way for a new National Harmony Act. I urge the international community to join right minded Malaysians in exerting pressure on the Prime Minister to fulfil his promise. The Sedition Act and its continued implementation will only earn our beloved nation a reputation of being an autocratic, draconian country stuck in the dark ages,” says Howard Lee who is also the Director of Policy for DAP Perak.

It is also understood that the B-PA will be monitoring Karpal Singh’s court case closely, pending the court’s sentencing on the 11th of March. Representative of several member parties of the PA has proposed ‘actions of solidarity’ be taken though no concrete plans have been made yet.

由突尼西亚社会民主党社会民主党所举办的国际协进联盟（PA）的国际峰会昨日于突尼西亚Ramada Plaza Hotel圆满结束。该峰会以“体面劳动”的主题吸引了来自全球的社会民主主义党代表出席。 民主行动党国际事务执行秘书李存孝受邀代表马来西亚民主行动党出席该峰会，并以“协进式大选拉票活动”的主题来演示民主行动党如何在第13届大选中获得漂亮的成绩。这是该会议的三项主题之一，目的是分享民主行动党的各种拉票实践经验，及给予各党代表们一个难逢的学习及交流机会。 该峰会的其中一个目的也是组织协进联盟的工作委员会结构，选出负责各区域工作的委员代表。身为亚太区社会民主主义党的活跃分子，民主行动党受邀成为该工作委员会委员之一，而代表民主行动党入阁首届委员会的是身兼霹雳州兵如港州议员及社青团霹雳州秘书的李存孝。 民主行动党全国主席兼武吉牛汝莪区国会议员卡巴星因2009年在霹雳州夺权风波中恫言起诉霹州苏丹而被判煽动罪名成立。李存孝恳求这崭新的国际组织，协进联盟委员会团结一致，共同为卡巴星声援。该委员会已答应该请求，并对卡巴星表示“深感同情及关心，誓必与他团结于一阵线”，并将于近日商酌该事件。 身为该委员会会员之一的李存孝呼吁协进联盟委员会大力谴责马来西亚总检察署以过时的法律对政治对手们做出选择性的性起诉。 我国首相曾于2012年7月11日宣布为了国家和谐而废除煽动法令，显然地，这是其中一项“被马来西亚总检察署“为迫害，而起诉”的的案件。 李存孝敦促国际社会们加入马来西亚人民的正确想法，对我国首相施加压力，并要求他兑现诺言。 “只有实施一个专制及严厉的煽动法令才会获取人民的尊敬”也是霹雳州政策主任的李存孝说。 协进联盟委员会将密切监察将于3月11日宣判结果的卡巴星诉讼案件。虽然还未实践任何实际行动，但数位委员会代表已提议了为此案件展开“团结行动”。