1. Attack on fundamental human rights of freedom of speech and expression as enshrined in the United Nations’ Universal Declaration of Human Rights and even our own Federal Constitution.
There used to be freedom of speech but no freedom after speech in Malaysia. With these harsh amendments, that provide sentencing of up to 20 years in prison, there will be neither freedom after speech nor freedom of speech.
2. Attack on freedom of the press, especially the online media. Clearly the amendments permit the BN government to extend its tentacles to silence and stifle the free voices in the online media, just as have they have controlled and manipulated the mainstream media;
3. Attack on the rule of law where lawyers say there was still no clarity of what amounts to "seditious tendency" in Section 3(1), but there is now a new clause of seditious tendency that is vague. Further there is no justice when no consideration is given to a youthful or first time offender.
4. Attack on the judiciary where the fixing of a minimum sentence of 3 years imprisonment, is a gross interference with judicial discretion on sentencing. Further is the government not only disrespecting but also in contempt of the judiciary by making such amendments, when it is sub judice as the issue is still pending decision by the Federal Court on whether the sedition law is constitutional.
5. Attack on parliament and the parliamentary process by delimiting the right of MPs and state assemblymen to enjoy the right of legal immunity of anything said in the House by even prosecuting for sedition the Penang DAP Adun for Sri Delima, RSN Rayer when he attacked Umno in the Penang state assembly.
Further, BN has treated Parliament as a mere rubberstamp by bulldozing bills in the early hours of the morning and only giving short notice of less than 2 days for such an important amendment bill.
6. Attack on honourable and noble conduct of keeping one’s word and promises, especially the prime minister's thrice repeated promise to abolish the Sedition Act. 15/9/2011, July 2012 and 2 July 2013. Failure to keep one’s promises gives politicians a bad name, if even the prime minister can do it without any shame or regret.
7. Attack on Malaysia’s role in the United Nations Human Rights Council, of which Malaysia is a member. Malaysia will become a laughing stock of being a member of a UN council promoting human rights when it is stamping out freedom of expression.
8. Attack on creativity and innovation which relies on the 3Ts of Talent, Technology and Tolerance of new ideas;
9. Attack on our future where our future generation will live in a climate of fear and be silenced by fear. What difference will this future be from the box-office movie The Hunger Games, where sedition is also severely punished.
10. Attack on the opposition, which has been victimised by selective prosecution and double standards where the enhancement of punishment under these amendments, will automatically disqualify a member of parliament or state assemblymen. So far 160 people have been arrested, from law professors to a cartoonist representing all sections of society.