Effect of decriminalising criticism of government may be illusory.

KUALA LUMPUR: In an ironic twist in the wee hours of this morning, the constitutional right of freedom of speech was effectively jettisoned by Parliament via amendments passed to the Sedition Act 1948.

Effectively, that right was surrendered in favour of the right of the authorities to prosecute and incarcerate citizens for speaking on a whole host of subjects deemed seditious irrespective of criminal intent, ill-will or even the fact that the content of the matter spoken was true.

Under the Act as amended, a seditious tendency is now defined as a tendency to:

bring into hatred or contempt or excite dissatisfaction against any Ruler;

attempt to procure, the alteration, otherwise than by lawful means, of any matter as by law established;

raise discontent or disaffection amongst the subjects of Agong or the Ruler of any State or amongst the inhabitants of Malaysia or of any State;

promote feelings of ill will, hostility or hatred between different races or classes of the population of Malaysia;

promote feelings of ill will, hostility or hatred between persons or groups of persons on the ground of religion;

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Sedition: A vague crime punishable by incarceration