Malaysia will repeal a draconian colonial-era law curbing free speech in line with the announcement by Prime Minister Najib Razak last year, a senior minister said today.
Tourism and Culture Minister Nazri Aziz, who was de-facto law minister last year, said the Sedition Act would be be repealed.
"It was a public commitment made by the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister did not retract his statement. The statement still stands," he said.
His statement came as differing opinion emerged on the issue among Razak's Cabinet colleagues.
Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi also felt that the Act should remain.
Nazri said Ahmad Zahid was free to express his views.
Nazri said the A-G's Chambers was still engaging the relevant stakeholders before it could come up with the final draft of the National Harmony Act.
While the Opposition PKR believes the Act is archaic, the Malaysian Indian Congress, the country's largest ethnic Indian based political party, said it would support moves to either abolish or amend the act.
Opposition PKR vice-president Nurul Izzah Anwar called on Premier Najib to clearly state his stand on the abolishment of the Sedition Act as he had promised to do.
