Repealing Sedition Act not a wise move – Karim

September 3, 2014

KUCHING: A lawmaker is against the idea of repealing the Sedition Act to be replaced by the National Harmony Bill.

Asajaya assemblyman Datul Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, suggested that the government amend the Sedition Act to rectify the shortcoming.

“Why the need to repeal the sedition Act now? Are there too much flaws in it, or the authority that should be enforcing it does not do its part?

“Personally, I don’t see the need for another Act, whether it is called the National Harmony Act or whatever if its intention is similar,” Abdul Karim told The Borneo Post yesterday.

He said certain clauses might need amendment to meet the changes happening in society, especially those related to social media, but not to repeal the whole Act. National Harmony Bill, if passed would meet the same fate as the Sedition Act, if the government did not enforce it, he said.

The Assistant Minister of Youth Development said whoever was at the helm of the government should not “repeal this and that Act just as they like”, only to regret it after realising there were still flaws in the new Act.

“Introducing a totally new Act is like coming up with a new baby and we don’t need that in Malaysia unless the government feels and takes pride that this or that Act was introduced by the government.

Dap trying to spin the public safety issue -Karim

August 14, 2013

“The statement by Chong is both irresponsible and malicious. DAP is trying to spin the issue and place the blame on the government and the police.” -Tuan Haji Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah 

Sarawak DAP chief’s statement on rise in violent crimes in the country condemned and ridiculed

KUCHING: The statement by state DAP chief Chong Chieng Jen that Barisan Nasional (BN) government is deliberately allowing crimes in the country to rise to justify reintroducing preventive laws has been condemned by BN representatives and the state police chief Datuk Acryl Sani Abdullah Sani Acryl (pic) described Chong ’s statement made at a press conference on Monday as ‘absurd’, adding that no right thinking government would harm the people to achieve its objective.

“This kind of statement should not come from a man of Chong’s stature and standing,” Acryl told The Borneo Post yesterday.

“The public must do away with the thinking that preventive laws benefi t the police. They are for the safety of the public, not for the ease of our job. Though we are the police, we are also part of the society at large. It is also our wish to have a safe society,” he added.

He pointed out that those who committed serious crimes recently were mainly former Emergency Ordinance (EO) detainees.

“The NGOs and the opposition had been calling for the law to be abolished. With the abolishment of EO, all those detained under EO were released as there is no more law to hold them anymore.

“And now, the opposition is blaming the government for the rising crimes. This does not make sense.”

Malaysia perlukan undang-undang pencegahan seperti ISA



September 17, 2011

Undang-undang ganti ISA diharap cegah anasir berbahaya terhadap masyarakat majmuk

KUCHING: Dua undang-undang yang bakal digubal menggantikan Akta Keselamatan Dalam Negeri (ISA) 1960 diharap berperanan mencegah anasir berbahaya terhadap hubungan antara masyarakat majmuk di negara ini.

Ketua Setiausaha Politik Ketua Menteri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah berkata, undang-undang itu kelak wajar mempertimbangkan kemungkinan munculnya ekstremis kaum atau agama yang dikhuatiri menggugat ketenteraman awam.

“Kita mahu melihat apakah pengganti terhadap ISA yang telah dijanjikan kerana dalam keadaan masyarakat majmuk dan berlainan agama kita amat memerlukan undang-undang pencegahan seperti ISA untuk menangani ekstremis dalam masyarakat.

“Kita tidak mahu jadi macam Yugoslavia suatu ketika dahulu yang telah berpecah-belah mengikut etnik dan bangsa ekoran timbulnya ekstremis bangsa dan agama,” katanya ketika dihubungi, semalam.

Abdul Karim yang juga ADUN Asajaya berkata lagi, pemansuhan undang-undang tersebut juga menunjukkan Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak sebagai prihatin dan sensitif terhadap hak asasi dan permintaan rakyat.

“Ia merupakan perkara yang dijanjikan oleh Najib apabila mengambil alih tampuk pemerintahan dahulu,” katanya.

Beliau bagaimanapun berharap Najib tidak terlalu mengikut telunjuk pembangkang apabila menyentuh perundangan berkaitan ketenteraman awam.

Welcome tinged with caution to repeal of ISA

Peter Sibon, reporters@theborneopost.com

September 16, 2011, Friday

KUCHING: The announcement on the abolition of the Internal Security Act 1960 (ISA) by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak last night received mixed reactions from local law makers from both sides of the political divide and a human rights activist.

Chairman of the state BN Backbenchers’ Club and the chief political secretary to the chief minister Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said he was unsure whether the abolishment of the restrictive law was a right move or not.

“For a multi-ethnic and multi religious country like Malaysia, we surely need restrictive laws like the ISA but what is important is that the usage of these laws must be purely against those who pose security threat to the nation and not against political opponents,” Abdul Karim told The Borneo Post here last night.

PKR Sarawak chief Baru Bian said the prime minister was taking a big gamble by abolishing the restrictive laws.

“We welcomed the announcement as it was really high time, such draconian laws should have been abolished long time ago as our country has achieved its independence for almost 50 years,” he said.

Baru who is also the Ba Kelalan assemblyman also stressed that there were still laws such as those under police custody where abuse could still take place.

“So we have to wait and see the outcome of the announcement,” he said.