PAS supremo Tan Sri Hadi Awang’s claim that cruelty based on differences in faith is an election-related offence and several other laws.
Section 4A of the Election Offences Act 1954 criminalises the act of making statements that may promote ill-will, discontent or hostility between different races during an election, stressed lawyer Siti Kasim.
Upon conviction, one can face imprisonment of up to five years or a fine of a maximum of RM10,000.
The vocal activist also questioned when authorities would take action against Marang MP.
“Don’t the authorities need to probe whether his statement has tendencies that leads to enmity, for the sake of getting votes?”
“Don’t shut your eyes simply because he who uttered it is a party president,” she added.
Non-Muslims were urged to lodge police reports against Hadi.
Hadi claimed wicked Muslim leaders are not as cruel as non-Muslim leaders during a joint Barisan Nasional (BN)-Perikatan Nasional (PN) rally on Nov 12 in the prelude to the Melaka state election.
In an immediate reaction four Malay Muslim DAP federal legislators rebutted him. PKR deputy secretary-general G. Sivamalar questioned since when faith had been a barometer to gauge cruelty level.
Pakatan Harapan secretary-general Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail also took Hadi to task over the latter’s remark.
A leader’s worth should be measured by their trustworthiness, fairness and ability to protect the people under their case, the Home Minister stressed.
Following the controversy that Hadi ignited, his office blamed Malaysiakini for reporting the matter out of context.
Other relevant laws
The Parti Bangsa Malaysia’s (PBM) latest addition wondered what would happen if a non-Muslim politician something similar to what Hadi had said.
She added section 298 of the Penal Code too would be relevant to the case.
The section criminalises the act of uttering words, sounds, and making gestures with the deliberate intent of wounding religious feelings of other people.
Hadi also may have contravened section 9 of the Election Offences Act.
She reminded authorities to investigate Hadi’s overall speech to determine whether Hadi had used undue influence against any person to induce or compel such person to vote or refrain from voting. – Nov 15, 2026.
