KUALA LUMPUR: An Umno minister slammed PKR leaders who are on an anti-Sedition Act roadshow in Australia, saying it tarnishes Malaysia’s image. Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim said the PKR leaders are giving foreign countries the wrong impression of the Barisan Nasional (BN) government.

“I don’t agree with certain quarters going overseas to condemn our country ... not just to party leaders but to the party that rules the country. You go abroad to reproach this country, then you return to Malaysia and ultimately meet the people you insult. For example, [you insult] the police, yet after you meet them to ask for help?” Shahidan told reporters at MIC’s Deepavali open house at the Putra World Trade Centre yesterday.

He said the action of the opposition leaders would not resolve anything as the issues raised are domestic. “We can’t talk about our country to other countries because they can’t solve our problems. Only we can solve our problems.”

Shahidan was commenting on the five-city roadshow by PKR leaders in Australia to raise awareness of  opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s upcoming final sodomy appeal as well as Putrajaya’s sedition blitz. PKR secretary-general Rafizi Ramli had said that aside from their working visit to the Australian Parliament, the delegation would speak at a series of forums across Australia’s main cities.

He said the roadshow would provide Malaysians there “the real picture of BN’s actions in using laws to stifle political opponents”.

Shahidan also took foreign countries to task for criticising Putrajaya’s use of the Sedition Act 1948. “I would like to ask other countries, why are you not highlighting more important issues such as murder? They criticise our act, which protects the public, when in fact their own country is facing all sorts [of issues].”

Yesterday, The Sydney Morning Herald said Malaysia, unlike neighbouring Indonesia, is taking two steps backwards in its use of the Sedition Act to persecute political opponents, as well as in Anwar’s “sham trial” next week. The US Embassy in Malaysia has also expressed concern about the government’s use of the colonial-era law, and reminded Datuk Seri Najib Razak of his promise in 2012 to repeal the act. Shahidan urged foreign governments yesterday to stay out of Malaysia’s affairs and respect Putrajaya’s stance on the matter.

“I think every country should focus on its own matters, while we take care of ours,” he said, adding that the Sedition Act will not be the main concern for Umno delegates at the party’s  annual general assembly.

“It will be discussed, but it won’t be the main focus because the prime minister already said that only its name will change, while the act’s provisions, especially those related to the Malay rulers, the Malays, and Islam, will stay,” he said.

The Arau MP said security issues would be discussed thoroughly in the assembly next month. “There are two issues pertaining to security, one is on crime and one is on unity. Security also refers to protection from foreign elements such as other countries and individuals. For instance, global wars that could threaten any country that is not united. We do not want our country to be threatened by such elements.” — The Malaysian Insider

This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily, on October 23, 2014.