KUCHING: Batu Lintang assemblyman Voon Lee Shan yesterday lodged a police report against five Barisan Nasional (BN) assemblymen for their “offence in making publication of a seditious material”.

The five BN assemblymen were Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah (Asajaya), Dr Abdul Rahman Junaidi (Pantai Damai), Snowdan Lawan (Balai Ringin), Andy Chia (Pujut) and Vincent Goh (Pelawan).

Voon said the five BN assemblymen were present at a press conference after they made a police report in which they alleged that he uttered seditious and racial remarks in the State Legislative Assembly (DUN) on Nov 11. The report was lodged by Karim and six BN representatives on Nov 18 at Gita Police Station.

Voon explained that it is an offence under the Seditious Act 1948 to have a seditious material published. The “seditious material” Voon referred to was his comments recorded in the Hansard during the last Dewan Undangan Negeri sitting.

Therefore, Voon requested the police to search for evidence at the houses and offices of the five assemblymen.

“Today, my report is about publication of seditious materials by Karim and company. If you (Karim) think (the material is) seditious, you (Karim) may not have it published. Publishing it is an offence under Section 4 of the Seditious Act 1948,” he told reporters at the Central Police Station here after he lodged the police report.

“Those present during the press conference, if there was an offence, should be charged jointly for making publication for what they said seditious materials,” he said.

He emphasised that what he had said in DUN was not seditious and he had done nothing wrong.

“My legal opinion is nothing of what I said in the Dewan (DUN) is seditious, but if you Karim think that it was seditious, you commit an offence (by publishing it).

“The Hansard has to be seized. Under the law, they must surrender the Hansard to the police station otherwise they also commit an offence,” he said.

On Nov 18, Karim said Voon had uttered words in the DUN which were deemed seditious and unhealthy for a multi-ethnic country like Malaysia.

“You cannot use words that disrupt racial harmony and incite one race against the other. And that is how it sounded when you read those three paragraphs (of the Handsard). It has that sort of connotation,” he told reporters at the DUN.

On Nov 21, Voon lodged a police report against Karim and Land Development Minister Dato Sri Dr James Masing for having enunciated inciting and seditious remarks in newspapers recently.

He said both should be investigated for alleged offences under the Internal Security Act (ISA) 1960 and the Seditious Act 1948.

“I have lodged a police report against them. I also want the police to investigate Karim for criminal intimidation, and Masing to be investigated under the Penal Code,” he said.

Voon reiterated that what he had done was to fight for the right of the people in Sarawak and for a better future for the younger generations.

“What we are having now is the elected representatives don’t dare to talk… I do this on behalf of the Dayaks. I feel that this is something we have to do…this is not the time for the BN people to use their muscle on us,” he said.

Sarawak PAS liaison secretary Saidin Massudin Sahini, and PKR Kuala Selangor vice-divisional chief Datuk Seri Professor Dr Razali Bolhi were also present.