LAWSOFMALAYSIA
REPRINT
PUBLISHEDBY
THECOMMISSIONEROFLAWREVISION,MALAYSIA
UNDERTHEAUTHORITYOFTHEREVISIONOFLAWSACT1968
INCOLLABORATIONWITHMALAYANLAWJOURNALSDNBHDAND
PERCETAKANNASIONALMALAYSIABHD
2006
Act15
SEDITIONACT1948
Incorporatingallamendmentsupto1January2006
015e.fmPage1Monday,March27,200611:41AM
PREPAREDFORPUBLICATIONBY
MALAYANLAWJOURNALSDNBHD
ANDPRINTEDBY
PERCETAKANNASIONALMALAYSIABERHAD
KUALALUMPURBRANCH
2006
2
SEDITIONACT1948
Firstenacted………………1948(OrdinanceNo.
14of1948)
Revised………………1969(Act15w.e.f.
14April1970)
PREVIOUSREPRINTS
FirstReprint……………192
SecondReprint…………199
015e.fmPage2Monday,March27,200611:41AM
3
LAWSOFMALAYSIA
Act15
ARRANGEMENTOFSECTIONS
SEDITIONACT1948
Section
1.Shorttitle
2.Interpretation
3.Seditioustendency
4.Offences
5.Legalproceedings
6.Evidence
7.Innocentreceiverofseditiouspublication
8.Issueofsearchwarrant
9.Suspensionofnewspapercontainingseditiousmatter
10.Powerofcourttoprohibitcirculationofseditiouspublications
11.Arrestwithoutwarrant
015e.fmPage3Monday,March27,200611:41AM
015e.fmPage4Monday,March27,200611:41AM
5
LAWSOFMALAYSIA
Act15
SEDITIONACT1948
AnActtoprovideforthepunishmentofsedition.
[PeninsularMalaysia—19July1948,Ord.No.14of1948;
Sabah—28May1964,L.N.149/1964;
Sarawak—20November1969,P.U.(A)476/1969]
Shorttitle
1.ThisActmaybecitedastheSeditionAct1948.
Interpretation
2.InthisAct—
“Government”meanstheGovernmentofMalaysiaandofany
StateinMalaysia;
“publication”includesallwrittenorprintedmatterandeverything
whetherofanaturesimilartowrittenorprintedmatterornot
containinganyvisiblerepresentationorbyitsform,shapeorin
anyothermannercapableofsuggestingwordsorideas,andevery
copyandreproductionorsubstantialreproductionofanypublication;
“Ruler”meanstheYangdi-PertuanAgongortheRulerorYang
di-PertuaNegeriofanyStateinMalaysia;
“seditious”whenappliedtoorusedinrespectofanyact,
speech,words,publicationorotherthingqualifiestheact,speech,
words,publicationorotherthingasonehavingaseditioustendency;
“words”includesanyphrase,sentenceorotherconsecutive
numberorcombinationofwords,oralorwritten.
Seditioustendency
3.(1)A“seditioustendency”isatendency—
(a)tobringintohatredorcontemptortoexcitedisaffection
againstanyRuleroragainstanyGovernment;
015e.fmPage5Monday,March27,200611:41AM
6LawsofMalaysiaACT15
(b)toexcitethesubjectsofanyRulerortheinhabitantsof
anyterritorygovernedbyanyGovernmenttoattempt
toprocureintheterritoryoftheRulerorgovernedby
theGovernment,thealteration,otherwisethanbylawful
means,ofanymatterasbylawestablished;
(c)tobringintohatredorcontemptortoexcitedisaffection
againsttheadministrationofjusticeinMalaysiaorin
anyState;
(d)toraisediscontentordisaffectionamongstthesubjectsof
theYangdi-PertuanAgongoroftheRulerofany
StateoramongsttheinhabitantsofMalaysiaorofany
State;
(e)topromotefeelingsofillwillandhostilitybetween
differentracesorclassesofthepopulationofMalaysia;
or
(f)toquestionanymatter,right,status,position,privilege,
sovereigntyorprerogativeestablishedorprotectedby
theprovisionsofPartIIIoftheFederalConstitutionor
Article152,153or181oftheFederalConstitution.
(2)Notwithstandinganythinginsubsection(1)anact,speech,
words,publicationorotherthingshallnotbedeemedtobe
seditiousbyreasononlythatithasatendency—
(a)toshowthatanyRulerhasbeenmisledormistakenin
anyofhismeasures;
(b)topointouterrorsordefectsinanyGovernmentor
constitutionasbylawestablished(exceptinrespectof
anymatter,right,status,position,privilege,sovereignty
orprerogativereferredtoinparagraph(1)(f)otherwise
thaninrelationtotheimplementationofanyprovision
relatingthereto)orinlegislationorintheadministration
ofjusticewithaviewtotheremedyingoftheerrorsor
defects;
(c)exceptinrespectofanymatter,right,status,position,
privilege,sovereigntyorprerogativereferredtoin
paragraph(1)(f)—
(i)topersuadethesubjectsofanyRulerorthe
inhabitantsofanyterritorygovernedbyany
Governmenttoattempttoprocurebylawful
meansthealterationofanymatterinthe
015e.fmPage6Monday,March27,200611:41AM
Sedition7
territoryofsuchGovernmentasbylaw
established;or
(ii)topointout,withaviewtotheirremoval,any
mattersproducingorhavingatendencyto
producefeelingsofillwillandenmitybetween
differentracesorclassesofthepopulationof
theFederation,
iftheact,speech,words,publicationorotherthinghasnot
otherwiseinfactaseditioustendency.
(3)Forthepurposeofprovingthecommissionofanyoffence
againstthisActtheintentionofthepersonchargedatthetimehe
didorattemptedtodoormadeanypreparationtodoorconspired
withanypersontodoanyactorutteredanyseditiouswordsor
printed,published,sold,offeredforsale,distributed,reproduced
orimportedanypublicationordidanyotherthingshallbe
deemedtobeirrelevantifinfacttheacthad,orwould,ifdone,
havehad,orthewords,publicationorthinghadaseditious
tendency.
Offences
4.(1)Anypersonwho—
(a)doesorattemptstodo,ormakesanypreparationtodo,
orconspireswithanypersontodo,anyactwhichhas
orwhichwould,ifdone,haveaseditioustendency;
(b)uttersanyseditiouswords;
(c)prints,publishes,sells,offersforsale,distributesor
reproducesanyseditiouspublication;or
(d)importsanyseditiouspublication,
shallbeguiltyofanoffenceandshall,onconviction,beliablefor
afirstoffencetoafinenotexceedingfivethousandringgitorto
imprisonmentforatermnotexceedingthreeyearsortoboth,and,
forasubsequentoffence,toimprisonmentforatermnotexceeding
fiveyears;andanyseditiouspublicationfoundinthepossession
ofthepersonorusedinevidenceathistrialshallbeforfeitedand
maybedestroyedorotherwisedisposedofasthecourtdirects.
(2)Anypersonwhowithoutlawfulexcusehasinhispossession
anyseditiouspublicationshallbeguiltyofanoffenceandshall,
onconviction,beliableforafirstoffencetoafinenotexceeding
015e.fmPage7Monday,March27,200611:41AM
8LawsofMalaysiaACT15
twothousandringgitortoimprisonmentforatermnotexceeding
eighteenmonthsortoboth,and,forasubsequentoffence,to
imprisonmentforatermnotexceedingthreeyears,andthe
publicationshallbeforfeitedandmaybedestroyedorotherwise
disposedofasthecourtdirects.
Legalproceedings
5.Nopersonshallbeprosecutedforanoffenceundersection4
withoutthewrittenconsentofthePublicProsecutor.Insuch
writtenconsentthePublicProsecutormaydesignateanycourt
withinMalaysiatobethecourtoftrial.
Evidence
6.(1)Notwithstandinganythingtothecontrarycontainedin
theEvidenceAct[Act56],nopersonshallbeconvictedofan
offenceundersection4ontheuncorroboratedtestimonyofone
witness.
(2)Nopersonshallbeconvictedofanyoffencereferredtoin
paragraph4(1)(c)or(d)ifthepersonprovesthatthepublication
inrespectofwhichheischargedwasprinted,published,sold,
offeredforsale,distributed,reproducedorimportedwithouthis
authority,consentandknowledgeandwithoutanywantofduecare
orcautiononhispart,orthathedidnotknowandhadnoreason
tobelievethatthepublicationhadaseditioustendency.
Innocentreceiverofseditiouspublication
7.Anypersontowhomanyseditiouspublicationissentwithout
hisknowledgeorprivityshallforthwithassoonasthenatureof
itscontentshasbecomeknowntohimdeliverthepublicationto
theofficerinchargeofapolicedistrictor,inSabahandSarawak,
toanadministrativeofficerortotheofficerinchargeofthe
nearestpolicestation,andanypersonwhocomplieswiththe
provisionsofthissectionshallnotbeliabletobeconvictedfor
havinginhispossessionthepublication:
Providedthatinanyproceedingsagainstthatpersonthecourt
shallpresumeuntilthecontrarybeshownthatthepersonknew
thecontentsofthepublicationatthetimeitfirstcameintohis
possession.
015e.fmPage8Monday,March27,200611:41AM
Sedition9
Issueofsearchwarrant
8.(1)AMagistratemayissueawarrantempoweringanypolice
officer,notbelowtherankofInspector,toenteruponany
premiseswhereanyseditiouspublicationisknownorisreasonably
suspectedtobeandtosearchthereinforanyseditiouspublication.
(2)Wheneveritappearstoanypoliceofficernotbelowthe
rankofAssistantSuperintendentthatthereisreasonablecauseto
believethatinanypremisesthereisconcealedordepositedany
seditiouspublication,andhehasreasonablegroundsfor
believingthat,byreasonofthedelaywhichwouldbeentailedby
obtainingasearchwarrant,theobjectofthesearchislikelytobe
frustrated,hemayenterandsearchthepremisesasifhewere
empoweredtodosobyawarrantissuedundersubsection(1).
Suspensionofnewspapercontainingseditiousmatter
9.(1)Wheneveranypersonisconvictedofpublishinginany
newspaperanymatterhavingaseditioustendency,thecourtmay,
ifitthinksfit,eitherinlieuoforinadditiontoanyotherpunishment,
makeordersastoalloranyofthefollowingmatters:
(a)prohibiting,eitherabsolutelyorexceptonconditions
tobespecifiedintheorder,foranyperiodnotexceeding
oneyearfromthedateoftheorder,thefuture
publicationofthatnewspaper;
(b)prohibiting,eitherabsolutelyorexceptonconditions
tobespecifiedintheorder,fortheperiodaforesaid,
thepublisher,proprietor,oreditorofthatnewspaper
orfrompublishing,editingorwritingforanynewspaper,
orfromassisting,whetherwithmoneyormoney’s
worth,material,personalservice,orotherwiseinthe
publication,editing,orproductionofanynewspaper;
and
(c)thatfortheperiodaforesaidanyprintingpressusedin
theproductionofthenewspaperbeusedonlyon
conditionstobespecifiedintheorder,orthatitbe
seizedbythepoliceanddetainedbythemforthe
periodaforesaid.
(2)Anypersonwhocontravenesanordermadeunderthissection
shallbeguiltyofanoffenceandshall,onconviction,beliabletoafine
notexceedingfivethousandringgitortoimprisonmentforatermnot
exceedingthreeyearsortoboth.
015e.fmPage9Monday,March27,200611:41AM
10LawsofMalaysiaACT15
(3)NothinginthisActshallaffectthepowerofthecourtto
punishanypersoncontraveninganordermadeunderthissection
forcontemptofcourt:
Providedthatnopersonshallbepunishedtwiceforthesame
offence.
Powerofcourttoprohibitcirculationofseditiouspublications
10.(1)WheneverontheapplicationofthePublicProsecutorit
isshowntothesatisfactionofthecourtthattheissueorcirculationof
aseditiouspublicationisorifcommencedorcontinuedwouldbe
likelytoleadtounlawfulviolence,orappearstohavetheobject
ofpromotingfeelingofhostilitybetweendifferentclassesorraces
ofthecommunity,thecourtshallmakeanorder(inthissection
calleda“prohibitionorder”)prohibitingtheissuingandcirculationof
thatpublication(inthissectioncalleda“prohibitedpublication”)
andrequiringeverypersonhavinganycopyoftheprohibited
publicationinhispossession,power,orcontrolforthwithto
delivereverysuchcopyintothecustodyofthepolice.
(2)Anorderunderthissectionmaybemadeexparteonthe
applicationofthePublicProsecutorinchambers.
(3)Itshallbesufficientiftheordersodescribestheprohibited
publicationthatitcanbeidentifiedbyareasonablepersonwho
comparestheprohibitedpublicationwiththedescriptioninthe
prohibitionorder.
(4)Everypersononwhomacopyofaprohibitionorderis
servedbyanypoliceofficershallforthwithdelivertothatpolice
officereveryprohibitedpublicationinhispossession,power,or
control,and,ifhefailstodoso,heshallbeguiltyofanoffence
andshall,onconviction,beliabletoafinenotexceedingone
thousandringgitortoimprisonmentforatermnotexceedingone
yearortoboth.
(5)Everypersontowhoseknowledgeitshallcomethata
prohibitedpublicationisinhispossession,power,orcontrolshall
forthwithdelivereverysuchpublicationintothecustodyofthe
police,and,ifhefailstodoso,heshallbeguiltyofanoffence
andshall,onconviction,beliabletoafinenotexceedingone
thousandringgitortoimprisonmentforatermnotexceedingone
yearortoboth.
015e.fmPage10Monday,March27,200611:41AM
Sedition11
(6)Thecourtmay,ifitthinksfit,eitherbeforeorafteror
withoutserviceoftheprohibitionorderonanyperson,issuea
warrantauthorizinganypoliceofficernotbelowtherankof
Inspectortoenterandsearchanypremisesspecifiedintheorder,
andtoseizeandcarryawayeveryprohibitedpublicationthere
found,andtousesuchforceasmaybenecessaryforthepurpose.
Acopyoftheprohibitionorderandofthesearchwarrantshallbe
leftinaconspicuouspositionateverybuildingorplaceso
entered.
(7)Theownerofanyprohibitedpublicationdeliveredorseized
underthissectionmay,atanytimewithinfourteendaysafterthe
deliveryorseizure,petitionthecourtforthedischargeofthe
prohibitionorder,andthecourt,ifonthehearingofthepetitionit
decidesthattheprohibitionorderoughtnottohavebeenmade,
shalldischargetheorderandshallordertheprohibited
publicationdeliveredbyorseizedfromthepetitionertobe
returnedtohim.
(8)Everyprohibitedpublicationdeliveredorseizedunderthis
sectionwithrespecttowhichapetitionisnotfiledwithinthe
timeaforesaidorwhichisnotorderedtobereturnedtotheowner
shallbedeemedtobeforfeitedtotheFederalGovernment.
(9)Forthepurposesofthissection“court”meanstheHigh
Court.
Arrestwithoutwarrant
11.AnypoliceofficernotbelowtherankofInspectormayarrest
withoutwarrantanypersonfoundcommittingorreasonably
suspectedofcommittingorofhavingcommittedorofattempting
tocommitorofprocuringorabettinganypersontocommitany
offenceagainstthisAct,orreasonablysuspectedoftheunlawful
possessionofanythingliabletoforfeiturethereunder.
015e.fmPage11Monday,March27,200611:41AM
12
LAWSOFMALAYSIA
Act15
SEDITIONACT1948
LISTOFAMENDMENTS
AmendinglawShorttitleInforcefrom
L.N.332/1958FederalConstitution(Modificationof
Laws)(OrdinancesandProclamations)
Order1958
13-11-1958
L.N.149/1964ModificationofLaws(Sedition)
(ExtensionandModification)Order
1964
28-05-1964
P.U.(A)476/1969ModificationofLaws(Sedition)
(ExtensionandModification)Order
1969
20-11-1969
P.U.(A)282/1970Emergency(EssentialPowers)
OrdinanceNo.45,1970
10-08-1970
Act160MalaysianCurrency(Ringgit)Act
1975
29-08-1975
015e.fmPage12Monday,March27,200611:41AM
13
LAWSOFMALAYSIA
Act15
SEDITIONACT1948
LISTOFSECTIONSAMENDED
SectionAmendingauthorityInforcefrom
2L.N.332/195813-11-1958
3L.N.332/195813-11-1958
P.U.(A)282/197018-08-1970
4Act16029-08-1975
5P.U.(A)282/197018-08-1970
6L.N.332/195813-11-1958
9Act16029-08-1975
10Act16029-08-1975
015e.fmPage13Monday,March27,200611:41AM
|
|
