KUALA LUMPUR (March 19): The Pakatan Harapan (PH) Government will decide soon whether to repeal or amend the Sedition Act 1948, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Liew Vui Keong said.

He said the matter was under review and in essence, the Government was in the process of considering the Sedition Act with the intention of abolishing it.

"The Government has decided that if anybody is investigated under the Sedition Act...the Government has issued a directive to the police not to use the Act against those involved," he said at the Ministerial Query Times session in the Dewan Rakyat today.

He was replying to an additional question by Ahmad Fahmi Mohamed Fadzil (PH-Lembah Pantai) on the Government's commitment to repeal the Sedition Act 1948.

Responding to the original question of Wong Shu Qi (PH-Kluang) whether Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad agrees with the detention of the individual who criticized him, Liew said the Government took the stand that a politician should receive any criticism especially constructive criticism.

"The freedom to criticize however does not mean that anyone can issue words for the purpose of defaming a person or the individual's personal reputation for defamation is an offence under the law," he said.