ASEAN Regional Coalition to #StopDigitalDictatorship In June 2021, Iswardy Morni, member of opposition Parti Keadilan Rakyat, was charged under the Sedition Act for statements made on Facebook deemed to be seditious and insulting towards the King. If found guilty, he could be fined up to MYR 5,000 ($1,100) or a maximum of three years’ imprisonment, or both.33 In another case from April 2022, a campaign worker for the opposition Democratic Action Party was arrested under the Sedition Act for his comments on a social media post allegedly encouraging ethnic Indians not to vote for the Malaysian Indian Congress.34 More recently, in late 2023, Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor, a politician affiliated to the conservative Islamic party PAS, faced two charges of sedition under section 4(1)(a) of the Sedition Act 1948. The charges were brought against him for insulting the country’s sultans. Sanusi’s comments questioned decisions taken by the royalty regarding the formation of government at the federal and state levels. He appeared in court, pleading not guilty.35 On Nov. 24, 2023, Razali Idris, Information Chief of the Malaysian United Indigenous Party (Bersatu), Terengganu executive councillor The Sedition Act is reportedly used in a way that prevents Malaysians from expressing and debating, freely and openly, a diverse range of political opinions and ideas.41 –A group of UN experts and Kijal assemblyman from an opposition political party was charged under the Section 4(1)(b) of the Act and CMA. She was questioned for 10 hours in Sedition Act for allegedly making seditious remarks relation to posts calling on people to participate in about the court decision against MP Syed Saddiq the protests.39 Aside from Sarah, the government and another politician who was granted a discharge also opened an investigation against seven other not amounting to acquittal.36 He alleged that the activists of the youth coalition Sekretariat Solidariti Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Rakyat (SSR) based on a report published on an and judges were under the control of the current online portal.40 Prime Minister. Another notable case took place on Sept. 25, 2023, Wan Ji Wan Hussin appealed against Activists and HRDs in Malaysia continue to face the first appeal verdict that sentenced him to nine numerous obstacles to conducting their work. On months in prison for publishing offensive words and March 3, 2020, Fadiah Nadwa Fikri, a human rights insulting the Sultan of Selangor via Facebook in 2012. lawyer, was summoned by the police for a Twitter Although this sentencing is shorter than the initial post calling for people to join a rally against the new conviction in July 2019 of a one-year prison term, government, amid the political instability triggered the sentencing is still deemed as disproportionate by the change in government. During the question, to the crime. she was compelled to give the police access to her 37 Repressive laws have also been used against the Twitter account.42 #Lawan protest organisers.38 On July 29, 2021, the Artist and activist Fahmi Reza has repeatedly faced police arrested activist Sarah Irdina under the Sedition judicial harassment for his work, critical of the Malaysia 159