Are 52pct of Malaysians guilty of sedition too?

YOURSAY 'Each time we call for a change of government, it is seditious?'

Adam Adli gets 12 months' jail for sedition

Haveagreatday: Former student leader Adam Adli Abdul Halim "...called for the toppling of the Umno and BN government" - wow, this is seditious?

What does this mean for election campaigns and those of us who see the Umnoputras as bad rulers? Each time we write a comment to call for a change of government, it is seditious? Are we a democracy or a police state?   

Anon1: Adam allegedly said, “We can't wait five years to topple Umno and BN. Five more years, it is 2018, I can't wait until 2018. In 2013, we shall topple Umno and BN together and boot them out of Putrajaya.”

I don't see what’s seditious here. Nothing is said against the government of the day but only against the political parties. We see and hear current politicians openly taking swipes against DAP and PKR, why isn't that seditious?

DontPlayGod: Isn't it what democracy is all about? Each party calling for the other party to be toppled?

So in the next general election opposing parties must not call for Umno to be toppled? They have to support Umno? Gee, this must be the world's best democracy.

Chris Wong: Toppling of a government that mistreat its citizens is not only correct, but is part of a vibrant democracy. There is nothing wrong with that.

There are many means to achieve this, and this includes peaceful democratic action, civil disobedience, organising rallies to support your cause. What is wrong with that?

Disgusted: Fifty-two percent of Malaysian voters wanted Umno-BN toppled, so do they want to charge the 52 percent for sedition?

Ckl0001: Is Umno and the BN government a kind of law that we Malaysians cannot speak up against them? Are we now like living in North Korea or what? This is persecution of a young Malaysian. What can the public do to help him?

Ian2003: How is it seditious that when toppling of the present government is done via due process of elections? This is the core of democracy where choices are available for the people to choose.

It is not an armed instigation or anything of that sort, there is no riot being advocated, thus what is the seditious part of Adam’s speech?

KnockKnock: And had the government been toppled after the poor lad's speech? And what effect had he caused to the country after that speech?

Wasn't it a post-election ceramah when all parties including of BN wished to outdo other political parties then?

Doc: If a British citizen expresses his opinion in public in UK that the ruling conservative government has to be toppled due to poor governance or corruption, this would be called “exercising one's democratic right”.

If an American citizen expresses his opinion in public in the US that the ruling Democrat government has to be toppled due to poor governance or corruption, this would be called “exercising one's democratic right”.

If a Malaysian citizen expresses his opinion in public that Pakatan Rakyat has to be toppled due to poor governance or corruption, this would also be called “exercising one's democratic right”.

But if a Malaysian citizen expresses his opinion in public that Umno-BN has to be toppled due to poor governance or corruption, this would be called “sedition”.

Well Thats Fantastic: Indeed, Umno people can say the most disgusting racist hate-filled things against everyone else, and they walk free because their 'speech' was for a select crowd? Shouldn't they apply the same logic here?

Vasudevan: A child rapist can get away scot-free from jail term but not a person exercising his democratic right to voice his opinion. Once again what is good for the goose is not good enough for the gander.

Hank Marvin: How sad. But the struggle must continue against a regime that is now using law and the court to protect its hold on power. This is not too different from the South African regime during apartheid. In any case, toppling here should be read not just in a literal sense.

Maplesyrup: Throughout history, there have been many citizens of various nations who had risen to oppose unjust and corrupt governments, and history honours those men and women as heroes and patriots.

Could former Philippine president Ferdinand Marcos have been dethroned in Philippines without people’s power? Could apartheid have been demolished if not for freedom fighters such as Nelson Mandela?

Democracy is empty if people can only choose the ruling government.

Fairplayer: Adam was calling for the toppling of a "legitimate" government? To some, Umno-BN stole the election. How legitimate is the minority (47 percent) BN government? Adam should be acquitted.

Ckl0001: Adam, stay strong. You actually spoke out for a large section of the voting public, i.e. the 52 percent who voted against BN.

Myrights: Umno-BN's days are numbered and coming to an end. Unlike the old days, when mainstream media is the only source of information, today nothing is hidden and everyone will know the truth.

The more the Sedition Act is unfairly used, the more it pushes fair-minded Malaysians away. Those in power are clinging on to the last bit of straw left which is why they are using the sedition law in their final desperate move to silence the opposition.

Peacemaker: A man goes to prison for wishing another political party to be in power?

Are we living in a dictatorship, a feudal kingdom or is this the "best democracy in the world" as touted by some foghorn in Putrajaya? -Mkini