The most confused minister in the Cabinet

DAP's Kula asks Paul Low to resign for supporting the Sedition Act.

GEORGE TOWN: Minister Paul Low Seng Kuan should resign from the Cabinet for not supporting his boss’ pledge to repeal the Sedition Act, DAP vice-chairman M. Kulasegaran said today.

He said the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department had disappointed those who expected him to uphold human rights and democratic principles by not backing the Prime Minister’s promise.

Referring to Low’s speech at an International Law Conference yesterday about “zero defects” and “absolute freedom”, Kula said he must be the most confused minister in the Cabinet.

No one was demanding zero defects and absolute freedom, said the DAP leader, who is the MP for Ipoh Barat.

In his speech, Low said the Sedition Act was needed to preserve peace and harmony in a multiracial society.

Kula recalled that last year Low defended the wrongdoings of government agencies by saying that it would be unrealistic to expect zero defects.

Yesterday, he noted, Low said he did not agree with absolute freedom and felt some form of restriction must exist.

“No MP has ever said that there must be zero defects,” Kula told FMT. “And who has been asking for absolute freedom? What Malaysians ask for is democratic freedom, not absolute freedom.”

He said Low had shown since last year that he had become an apologist for the government. “It’s not a surprise that he has defended the draconian law,” he said.

“But he must not confuse the people.”

“He should resign from the Cabinet for not being prepared to support the Prime Minister’s promise to repeal the Sedition Act.”

He said Low should be a watchdog for the people and should use the trust that the Prime Minister had in him by insisting on the repeal of the Sedition Act.

“Can Paul Low deny that the recent sedition blitz was plain selective prosecution, with only critics of the government being targeted?” he asked.