The Prime Minister’s promises of not abolishing Chinese primary schools as demanded by UMNO leaders will only be credible if these UMNO leaders are charged for sedition as done in the past and the Prime Minister fulfills his thrice repeated promise to abolish the Sedition Act 1948. Whilst DAP opposes the Sedition Act that violates fundamental human rights and freedom of expression, the failure to implement the sedition laws fairly and impartially proves that the Sedition Act is being exploited as a political weapon against opposition leaders, academics who question BN policies and dissenters.
So long as the Sedition Act exists in the statute books, it must be enforced fairly and impartially without fear or favour. In the 1970s BN leaders who called for the abolition of Chinese primary schools were immediately charged under the Sedition Act. Even a Sabah MP Mark Koding was stripped of all his privileges and benefits as an MP after he was convicted for sedition for calling for the abolition of Chinese schools in 1978.
However the situation has changed 36 years later, now that no action has been taken against Umno leaders who made these conflicting statements in demanding the abolition of vernacular schools. So what is the value of the promise and assurances made by the Prime Minister, when no action has been taken against these UMNO leaders who made inflammatory statements?
Further the Prime Minister’s failure to fulfil his thrice-repeated promise to abolish the Sedition Act which is to be replaced by the National Harmony Act made more than 2 years ago, will raise grave doubts about the value of his promise. The Chinese and Indian community will be reassured that the Prime Minister and BN intends to keep their promises to protect the existence of vernacular schools when he delivers on his promise to abolish the Sedition Act.