Mind your own business, NGO tells Washington

US is being hypocritical in criticising the Sedition Act, says the Centre for Political Awareness.

PETALING JAYA: A pro-BN NGO has accused the United States of “hypocrisy of the highest order” in its criticism of the recent amendments to Malaysia’s Sedition Act.

In a press statement today, Huan Cheng Guan, who heads the Centre for Political Awareness, said American foreign policy was not aimed at upholding human rights but serving its own “self-aggrandisement objectives”.

He said the statement criticising the amendments, which was issued by the US State Department, showed “abject disregard of Malaysia’s sovereignty”.

“In fact,” he added, “the hubris of that statement reeks of damning hypocrisy of the highest order.

“Considering how Guantanamo Bay is still operating, it is absolutely ludicrous that the American government has the cheek to express concerns about the increase in penalties” that came with the amendments to the Sedition Act.

Referring to the Singapore teenager who is facing court action over his criticism of the late Lee Kuan Yew, Huan asked: “Has the US government questioned the Singapore government’s actions on Amos Lee? If it has not, why is it picking on the Malaysian government in this area?”

Huan claimed that Malaysian laws were “carefully considered over time and enforced only after much deliberation”.

“The Malaysian government honours freedom of expression and knows it is necessary for effective government, economic and social progress. Its recent move in amending the Sedition Act is to nip problems in the bud by providing deterrents to troublemakers who do not have social equilibrium in their frame of reference,” he said.

He told Washington to “stay out of our nation’s affairs like we stay out of American affairs or that of any other nation.”

He added: “If the US government is sincere in wanting to help Malaysia, it should instead give suggestions or guidelines as to how there can be free debate about and between political parties, exposing their strengths and weaknesses. Secondly, it should exhort local NGOs to be watchdogs for the media, the government, and the opposition. These watchdogs can highlight when laws are broken or how to expose corruption or other improprieties via legitimate channels, thereby developing a culture of accountability and honesty.”

Huan ended his statement by telling the US to stop being a “busybody”. “Mind your own business,” he said.