Malaysia at 50: Sedition Act and the Nationhood

Centre for Independent Journalism
27-C, Jalan Sarikei, off Jalan Pahang,
53000 Kuala Lumpur
T : 03 4023 0772
F : 03 4023 0769
www.cijmalaysia.org


Media Advisory
22th August 2007

Forum: Malaysia at 50: Sedition Act and the Nationhood

Organizers
Writers Alliance for Media Independence (WAMI)
Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ)
Institute of Policy Research/ Institut Kajian Dasar (IKD)
KL-Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall Civil Rights Committee (CRC)

Date
24th August 2007

Time
8:30pm

Venue: Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall, Jalan Maharajalela (opposite monorail station- Maharajalela stop)

Speakers:
Haris Ibrahim- human rights lawyer; initiator, People's Parliament project
Khalid Jaafar- Executive Director, Institute of Policy Research (IKD)
Dr. Dzulkifli Ahmad- Director, PAS Research Centre central working committee
Yasmin Ahmad- Filmmaker, Advertising Film Creative Director, blogger

Chairperson and Moderator: Gayathry Venkiteswaran, CIJ Executive Director


Brief

Lately, Sedition Act 1948 has been central in the controversies involving blogger Raja Petra Kamaruddin and student musician Wee Meng Chee, or "Namewee", who produced a rap video featuring the national anthem. The broad power vested under the Sedition law inevitably raises questionabout the protection for freedom of expression and whether such stringent limit could limit healthy dialogue among different communities. Do we need the Sedition Act, a product of the postwar Emergency Period, to protect our nationhood and social harmony after fifty years of independence? Has it made our nation stronger or weaker? Is it time for Malaysians to think out of box for something else? We invite an eloquent human rights lawyer, an internationally-acclaimed movie director and two articulate political think-tankers to share their thoughts.



Contact Person:
Yip Wai Fong CIJ Advocacy Officer.
03 4023 0772, 012-6986662