KUALA LUMPUR: The authorities will keep tabs on 3R (race, religion and royalty) issues during the six state elections and Kuala Terengganu parliamentary by-election, says Communications and Digital Minister Fahmi Fadzil.
“There is a need to set up a unit to ensure that during the duration of the state elections including the Kuala Terengganu by-election, no party will take the opportunity to draw political support by abusing issues related to 3R.
“We do not want to see episodes of disunity caused by narrow racial sentiments or politicians resorting to speeches deemed extreme, or belittling and insulting the royal institution or inciting the people to disrespect it,” he told reporters after attending the Ma’al Hijrah celebration yesterday.
He said the decision to set up the unit came about after a meeting on Tuesday with Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Razarudin Husain, his deputy Comm Datuk Seri Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay, representatives from the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) and social media platform operators such as TikTok.Lately, there have been strident calls against the use of 3R issues particularly by politicians in light of the state elections.
On Tuesday, caretaker Kedah Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor claimed trial at the Sessions Courts in Selangor on two counts under the Sedition Act over a political speech in Selayang on July 11.
He was accused of uttering words that could incite disloyalty against the Rulers.
Also on Tuesday, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reforms) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said said the government would hold discussions with relevant parties tomorrow to assess existing laws and look into the need for a new law to deal with 3R matters.
Action needed: Fahmi speaking to the media after attending the national-level Ma’al Hijrah celebration at World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur. — Bernama
The Election Commission has fixed Aug 12 as polling day for the state elections in Selangor, Negri Sembilan, Penang, Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu.
The by-election for the Kuala Terengganu parliamentary seat will be held concurrently with these polls.
The seat fell vacant after the Terengganu Election Court on June 27 cancelled the victory of Datuk Ahmad Amzad Hashim of PAS, which had chosen not to appeal the decision but to go for a by-election.
Fahmi said the unit to monitor 3R issues for the duration of the polls would be coordinated between his ministry, MCMC, Bukit Aman and social media platform providers.
He said the move was not against academic discussions of issues linked to 3R but more on incidents which could cause disunity and social unrest.
“What we are trying to prevent are those (speeches) that cause disunity.
“We have freedom of expression but we have no freedom to slander or pit the rakyat against one another by resorting to 3R issues,” he said.
The authorities, he said, would take action against those who flout the laws.
