Unity Deputy Minister Charges For Interfaith Hurts Under Home Ministry

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PARLIAMENT | The power to charge people with hurting religious feelings lies with the Home Ministry, said Deputy National Unity Minister K Saraswathy.
"Under that act, the power of prosecution to issue a prohibition order lies with the home minister, and not with any other ministry," she said in Dewan Rakyat today.
She was likely referring to a list of acts that she had touched on earlier - including sections of the Penal Code, Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998, and Section 4(1) of the Sedition Act 1948 - as part of reasons why there was no need for a Religious Harmony Act.
Saraswathy (above) was responding to RSN Rayer (Harapan-Jelutong), who asked why the government had yet to charge Muhammad Zamri Vinoth and Firdaus Wong for allegedly insulting Hindus.
Yesterday (Dec 10), the Global Human Rights Federation urged the judiciary’s top judges to address multiple postponements on their appeal for a private prosecution bid against Zamri and Firdaus.
Private prosecution
In 2021, GHRF filed for private prosecution under Section 133 of the Criminal Procedure Code against the duo.
Activists S Sivakumar and M Rajasegaran lodged police reports against Zamri and Firdaus between 2018 and 2019 for allegedly insulting non-Muslims, particularly Hindus, via Facebook posts and YouTube videos.
Muhammad Zamri Vinoth and Firdaus WongSaraswathy said strict enforcement will be taken if existing enforcement measures are ineffective in curbing hate speech.
"If they (those convicted of hate speech offences) do not learn from the punishments before this, then the punishment must be increased," she said.
There was no need for additional laws to handle the matter if the circumstances were still within control, she added.
"Another act will not prevent them from repeating the action," she pointed out. - Mkini

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