Ku Nan: Opposition are ‘shit stirrers’
Tengku Adnan today also said he was in support of introducing a new law to replace the Emergency Ordinance (EO) as a means of deterrence.
Tarani Palani, fz.com
Another minister has alluded that the Sedition Act 1948 should be maintained.
Speaking to reporters at the Parliament lobby today, Federal Territories Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor said the law was needed as they were many “shit stirrers” now.
“We have got (many) shit stirrers now. The opposition are the shit stirrers. They will stir until things turn chaotic,” he said.
Tengku Adnan said Malaysia is a multi-racial and multi-religious society where relations have to be maintained.
“Our forefathers taught (us) how to be tolerant. We need to teach the younger generation (this as well),” he said.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak had announced last July that the act will be repealed for greater democratic society and that the National Harmony Act will be put in place to manage race relations.
Despite this public announcement, some government leaders have openly called for the act to be retained, one of them being Home Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
To add to the confusion, Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr S Subramaniam said the previous cabinet had not made any decision on whether the legislation should be maintained, repealed or amended.
However, Tourism and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Nazri Aziz, who was previously the de facto law minister, has said that the cabinet was still committed to repealing the act.
Tengku Adnan today also said he was in support of introducing a new law to replace the Emergency Ordinance (EO) as a means of deterrence.
“We need another plan because since we abolished the EO and the Internal Security Act ISA, we have been worrying with what has been happening.
“We need laws not just to punish but to deter. Deterrence is better than punishment,” he said.
The BN secretary-general said Najib and the cabinet would review the proposed new law to ensure that it does not encroach upon citizens’ democratic rights.
He, however, added: “People want freedom, we have given freedom. But sometimes freedom also makes live hard for some people”.
On the question of whether detention without trial will feature in the new law, Tengku Adnan said it will be left to the Attorney General’s Chambers to decide.
