Press Statement by DAP Secretary-General and MP for Bagan Lim Guan Eng in Kuala Lumpur on 15.8.2012
All BN MPs Must Prove Their Sincerity By Immediately Apologising For Their Complicity In Passing Section 114A Of The Evidence Act By Revoking Not Reviewing It At The Coming Parliamentary Meeting Beginning On 24 September 2012 Or Risk Being Exposed As Political Fraudsters To Deceive The Voters During The Coming General Elections.
Last night, Prime Minister Dato’ Sri Najib Tun Razak tweeted that he has asked the Cabinet to review the controversial Section 114A of the Evidence Act 1950. This is another back-flip by Najib and his BN government seeking to reverse what is undoubtedly a grievous error that is unjust and irrational piece of legislation following outrage and popular protest by civil society movements and opposition parties.
Yesterday, the Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ) Malaysia successfully organised the Malaysian Internet Blackout Day initiative which received full support from various news portals, activists such as Marina Mahathir, various NGOS such as the Bar Council and also opposition parties including the DAP.
This Internet Blackout Day initiative was organised to oppose Section 114A of the Evidence Act 1950, an ignominious amendment passed by the Dewan Rakyat and Dewan Negara earlier this year, which effectively enables law enforcement officials to hold one accountable for publishing seditious, defamatory, or libelous content online, as long as the allegedly defamatory content is traced back to one’s username, electronic device, and/or WiFi network.
One is also presumed to be guilty of publishing illicit content on the Internet unless one can prove otherwise. In other words, Section 114A goes against the basic principle of law by laying the burden of proof on the accused instead of the accuser. Anyone can make an accusation without showing proof, it is the accused that must show proof that he or she is innocent. This is typical BN mentality where they can make simply make wild and even false allegations against opposition PR leaders who then have to show proof that they are innocent.
The Prime Minister’s flip-flop also follows statements by BN lawmakers such as Umno Youth Chief Khairy Jamaluddin and an MCA senator who apparently now oppose a law which they had voted for.
Why is it that Khairy and others are now so keen to show Malaysians that they oppose the law when the could have easily chosen not to vote for it when it was tabled? Is it not merely duplicity for them to speak out now to claim credit for an popular initiative by the rakyat?
This proves that BN leaders are complete frauds, and that the supposed Government Transformation Programme is nothing but a sham. The undeniable fact is that without the protest by civil society and opposition parties, there would not be any talk of a review. For Khairy and others to claim credit now is nothing less than opportunism.
The only way out now for Najib and the Cabinet is to prove their sincerity is by apologising and revoking not reviewing Section 114A of the Evidence Act immediately in the coming session or risk being exposed as duplicitous.
If no apology is forthcoming from the Prime Minister, then the people will see this as nothing more than a political stunt.
All BN MPs Must Prove Their Sincerity By Immediately Apologising For Their Complicity In Passing Section 114A Of The Evidence Act And Revoking not reviewing It At The Coming Parliamentary Meeting Beginning On 24 September 2012 Or Risk Being Exposed As Political Fraudsters To Deceive The Voters During The Coming General Elections.
LIM GUAN ENG
— Mandarin Version —–
民主行动党秘书长兼峇眼区国会议员林冠英于2012年8月15日在吉隆坡发表声明：
全体国阵国会议员必须展示诚意，马上针对他们共谋通过证据法令第114条文道歉，他们应该在2012年9月24日国会召开时撤销上述条文，而不是检讨，否则他们将在来届大选被看成是欺骗选民的政治骗子。
昨晚，首相拿督斯里纳吉在推特上说他已经叫内阁检讨引起争议的1950年证据法令第114A条文。这是纳吉及国阵政府再一次犯错后，犯众怒，引起公民社会及在野党的不满，而试图撤回不公正、不合理的司法条文。
昨天，马来西亚独立新闻中心（CIJ）成功地组织了马来西亚网络黑屏抗议日，获得了各个新闻网站、社运分子包括玛丽娜马哈迪、各个非政府组织包括律师公会、在野党包括民主行动党的响应。
这项网络黑屏抗议日是为了反对证据法令114A条文，这项让司法蒙羞的修正法案于今年初在国会上下议院地通过，它让执法人员可以对付任何刊登在网络的煽动性、毁谤性或侮辱性内容，只要有关文章或言论被发现存于当事人的用户名字、电子器具以及/或 WiFi 网络。
任何人如果在网络刊登不法内容都将被视为有罪，除非他证明自己清白。换句话说，第114A条文违反法律基本原则，就是要被控有罪人士证明自己无罪，而不是由控方来证明被提控者有罪。任何人都可以在没有证据的情况下去指控别人，而被控一方必须拿出证据证明自己清白。这是典型的国阵心理，让他们可以随随便便针对民联领袖进行揣测甚至是错误的指控，而后者必须出示证据，证明自己清白。
而国阵立法议员也像首相那样出尔反尔，如：巫青团团长凯里及马华上议员也已经反对这项他们通过的条文。
为什么凯里及其它人如此急着让国人知道他们也反对这项条文，他们其实可以在国会选择“弃权投票”。现在才来反对，口是心非，这难道不是为了讨功劳而迎合人民的行动？
这证明国阵领袖是骗子，而政府转型计划只是一桩闹剧。如果不是因为公民社会、在野党的反对，他们根本不会谈什么检讨。而凯里及其他人在这个时候讨功劳，正是机会主义。
现在纳吉和内阁唯一可以做的事，就是诚心道歉，在来临的国会复会时，立即撤销（而不是检讨）证据法令第114A条文，否则他们将被视为口是心非。
如果首相没有道歉，那么人民只会认为他的做法只是政治秀。
全体国阵国会议员必须展示诚意，马上针对他们共谋通过证据法令第114条文道歉，他们应该在2012年9月24日国会召开时撤销上述条文，而不是检讨，否则他们将在来届大选被看成是欺骗选民的政治骗子。
林冠