# 2014 Malaysian sedition dragnet

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The 2014 Malaysian sedition dragnet was a campaign by the government of Malaysia where several citizens were arrested and charged for allegedly making seditious statements in contravention of Section 4 of the Sedition Act 1948. The term "sedition dragnet" is widely used by the Malaysian media to describe the campaign.

## Background

The Sedition Act is considered by opposition politicians and activists to be an outdated draconian law introduced by the British colonial government which aims to stifle freedom of expression. Government officials however consider the Sedition Act as necessary to maintain peace in the country.
Another controversial piece of legislation, the Internal Security Act (ISA), was repealed in 2012 by the Najib Razak administration and replaced with the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 following mounting criticism of the ISA, another colonial era law which had allowed for preventive detention and extrajudicial detention.
Activists and politicians have complained that the dragnet was carried out despite prime minister Najib's earlier promises to repeal the Sedition Act.

## Arrests

Among the people arrested were opposition politicians Khalid Abdul Samad, N. Surendran and Teresa Kok while among non-politicians who were arrested were Universiti Malaya law professor, Azmi Sharom and Malaysiakini journalist Susan Loone as well as other political activists. Muhammad Safwan Anang who was convicted under the Sedition Act on 5 September 2014 was charged earlier in 2013 together with PKR's Tian Chua, PAS' Tamrin Ghafar Baba, student activist Adam Adli and social activists Harris Ibrahim and Hishamuddin Rais in relation to their role in allegedly inciting the people to change government through illegal means and is arguably not part of this sedition dragnet. All persons listed below were arrested or charged under the Sedition Act unless specified otherwise.
People arrested and/or charged in the sedition dragnet :
| Name | Background | Date of charge | Current status | Alleged seditious act |
| Ng Wei Aik | DAP Member of Parliament for Tanjong constituency | 10 February 2014 | Acquitted and discharged by Sessions Court | Published an article in a Chinese daily, questioned Najib's intention for jailing the former Opposition Leader, Anwar Ibrahim. |
| Teresa Kok | DAP Member of Parliament for Seputeh constituency | 6 May 2014 | - | Making a Chinese New Year greeting video posted on YouTube which allegedly included jokes on Malaysia being a dangerous country and on the recent Lahad Datu intrusion. |
| Abdullah Zaik Abd Rahman | ISMA president | 20 June 2014 | - | Saying that Chinese migrants brought by the British to Malaya were trespassers. |
| N. Surendran | PKR Member of Parliament for Padang Serai and one of Anwar Ibrahim's lawyer | 19 August 2014 | - | Criticising the judgement in the second of Anwar Ibrahim sodomy trials and saying that the proceedings was an attempt to put the Malaysian opposition leader behind bars. |
| Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin | PAS Perak state assemblyman for Changkat Jering and former Mentri Besar of Perak | 25 August 2014 | Charged for criminal defamation (Section 500 Penal Code) | For a speech made in 2012 saying "I was informed that Najib will call all the army generals to do something if BN lost in the general election." |
| Khalid Abdul Samad | PAS Member of Parliament for Shah Alam constituency | 26 August 2014 | - | Questioning the executive powers of the Selangor Islamic Religious Department (JAIS) |
| RSN Rayer | DAP Penang state assemblyman for Seri Delima | 27 August 2014 | Acquitted and discharged by Sessions Court | Saying "celaka UMNO" (damn UMNO) |
| Rafizi Ramli | PKR Vice President and MP for Pandan | 28 August 2014 | Charged for provocation of breach of peace (Section 504 Penal Code) | Accusing UMNO of conspiring to instigate religious strife |
| Azmi Sharom | Universiti Malaya law professor and columnist for The Star newspaper | 2 September 2014 | Charge withdrew by Attorney General via discretionary powers | For commenting in a newspaper column about the 2009 Perak constitutional crisis |
| David Orok | State Reform Party (STAR)'s politician | 3 September 2014 | - | Accused of insulting Islam and Muhammad on Facebook. |
| Susan Loone | Malaysiakini journalist | 4 September 2014 | Arrested 4 September 2014 | Publishing an interview with Penang state EXCO Phee Boon Poh in connection with the latter's arrest regarding PPS issue |
| Safwan Awang | Student activist | 5 September 2014 | - | Charged and arrested for making seditious remarks in an anti-government rally. |
| Ali Abd Jalil | Social activist affiliated with Anything But Umno (ABU) movement | 8 September 2014 | - | Belittling and calling for the abolishment of the Johor state monarchy |
| Wan Ji Wan Hussin | Islamic preacher affiliated with PAS | 10 September 2014 | Arrested September 10 2014 | Possibly for questioning the role of the rulers as the heads of religion |
| Wong Hoi Cheng | Unaffiliated project manager | 15 September 2014 | Charged under Section 504 Penal Code | Describing the Malaysian chief police as the "Heinrich Himmler of Malaysia" on Twitter |

## Related charges

Former Perak chief minister Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin was charged for criminal defamation under Section 500 of the Penal Code in August 2014 for a statement made in a speech in 2012 about prime minister Najib Razak. Meanwhile, PKR Vice President Rafizi Ramli was charged for provocation of breach of peace under Section 504 of the Penal Code.