Sunday 11 May 2008

It is Not Archaic

I was looking up for the meaning of the word 'sedition' and was astounded that no dictionary carries that word. I called up a few law experts all over the world and they too couldn't remember when was the last time they saw the word being used.

One even suggested that, since the word has no place at all in this modern and civilised world, it could have been relegated to the archaic words archives. He asked me why I had shown such an interest in the word.

So I explained about a strange phenomena where in a country somewhere in Asia, a well known personality with tendencies to question the authority's governance, was charged with sedition. I also told him of another case where an opposition leader is currently facing the possibility of sedition charges be slapped on him.

Then he suggested that I look up local dictionaries. So I did a long and tedious search and was knocked off my seats when I managed to find the word in the Be End Contemporary Dictionary by Aliph mimnun Wow Publications. Below is what the dictionary says about 'sedition'.

Sedition: An act that could create mistrust and cause hatred for the government or anyone in the government. This only applies to opposition members and those opposed to the government's brand of governance. Even a wink of an eye, if it offends the man in government it was aimed at, could be interpreted as 'seditious'. Anyone charged of Sedition must be found guilty by the presiding Judge who must first pass the Lingam Test before being appointed one.

Lingam Test: A confusing maze test, taken by ambitious aspirant judges, that leads to the doorsteps of The Palace of Justice.

Hmm, now I am beginning to understand.

18 comments:

Anonymous said...

The term has been there since time immemorial. In the law of almost all civilized nations. Your definition is quite accurate. Prophet Ibrahim a.s. was sentenced to death in fire for being seditious. The act is a "sin" to the Government but not necessarily to God.

Unknown said...

Hantutelur,
"The act is a "sin" to the Government but not necessarily to God."

Yes, that is the best way of describing it.

cakapaje said...

Salam Cikgu,

Say, can I sit for the Lingham Test? After all, I do enjoy eating cekodok with the Lingham Chili sauce. Oops! I hope the presiding judge won't consider my query as seditious!

Pak Zawi said...

Che'gu,
Sedition is the term for the catch all net called 'pukat tunda' in Malay which can be used only on the opposition by the Be End government to silence them. In this net there is only one way, 'IN'. So beware, using the word itself in public can tantamount to be seditious.

Unknown said...

Shah,
To sit for this test you must be able to accept designer handbags, handphones and expensive oversea's trip, you only have to return by popm, pomp, pomping. If you are willing?

Unknown said...

Zawi,
Yes, 'pukat tunda' is the best Malay meaning for it. It will sapu all, lock stock and barrel.

Asil said...

LOL. Asking Pak Lah's head is not seditious? That's expected.

Anyway, arm dealings is a big, profitable, well-protected international syndicate business. Najib is part of that big syndicate, so he is already well-protected, well above the law.

Sedition Law? Just to protect Rosmah, I guess?

p/s:
Watching Thaksin is like watching an a** crushed by a train! How can a well known Premier League organization allows a dictator to be one of the football team's owner? To appear again and again on TV/media, watched by millions of children? Wonder what the people of Thailand has to say about that.

Anonymous said...

Dear kata tak nak

For a person whose reading are confined to such characters as Dagwood Bumstead, Corporal Clot and Desperate Dan, the word “sedition” is pretty much gigantic to me, if not bombastic. But of course I don’t have the benefit of making cross references, like you did by calling lawyers of the world. (My cellphone credit is steadily advancing to the limit and could not even call cakapaje whom I strongly believe is at present lost in a basin of hot cekodok bathed with the Lingams classic chilli sauce. Hey bro, if you happen to read this, tell me did you pass that Lingam Test?)
I think you should heed kata tak nak’s advice. He is right. The word “sedition” has not been in used for a long long time, so much so that it has been deleted from most standard dictionaries. Should they charge you, try to talk to Alley Oops. I think he knows what to do.

Unknown said...

Asil,
The British are a bunch of pigs, they would shout and scream about dictatorship in 3rd world countries and then welcome these dictators to spend their ill-gotten billions in their countries.

Unknown said...

Shirzad,
Dagwood and Alley Oops heh? I use to dig those cartoons before I stopped reading NST and Star and Berita and Utusan, hey that leaves me with nothing to read.
Thanx for coming to my blog and I like your blog a lot.

monsterball said...

kat tak nak...If you try to understand....what UMNO's interpretations of....what "sedition" means...you will fall into their trap...to interpret...maybe MU's win...was a fluke...as most of them bet for Chelsea to win..
Where have you ever got a sincere..truthful ...humble...explaination.
It is always...protect UMNO and their crooked members ..at all cost. Many say....they never learn.
I say....they WILL never change their sickening mentalities and arrogant idiotic "holier than thou"...attitudes...dressed up with titles....and enriching themselves with thick skin faces....to belittle Malaysians intelligence.

Snowflake said...

Assallamualaikum
As for the Sarkas (term used by cakapaje) Administation, I conclude, sedition means "Set, Edit, Action".
A little bit out of topic:
If something was miss-spelled in a dictionary how would we know?
Can you please help me?

tokasid said...

Che'gu:

Sedition is ONLY applicable when something not very nice/appropriate is said to the Malay Rulers by persons other than UMNO leaders.

If it been said by UMNO leaders its NOT sedition. Not even kurang ajar.

Prove:
1-Karpal Singh about Perak: sedition.
2-The Trengganu MB appoinment incident: the non-sedition act by PM,Derih and 22 UMNO YB opposing Sultan's choice for the MB post.That is not Sedition.(What if the act is done by let say PAS leaders?What will be the UMNO reactionws>)
3-The putting up of the "Natang' banner and willingly shown by TV3 in Berita Utama is not considered Sedition for it was done by an UMNO goon.

Did PM ask the Sec Gen to make a police report during the Trengganu episode?

The rakyat upon presented with this double standard interpretation of sedition is feeling SEDIHTION.

Unknown said...

Monty,
UMNO wold interprate everything according to their own whims and fancies.

Unknown said...

Snowflake,
Now look what you have done, you have given a question that's got me stumped?
Help, help somebody help

Unknown said...

Doc,
Bagi depa UMNOliness is next to Godliness, itu pasai la.

20 Cent said...

Excellent definition, Kata Tak Nak. Now I'd like to know if it is 'sedition' if acts labeled as much are against a government that represses its own people.

After all, a government is formed to protect its people, by the mandate of the people. That is where is gains its 'lawful authority'.

If that government fails its duties, or has construed to subvert its election process, shouldn't that mean that it no longer a 'lawful authority'?

And as such, is it sedition to speak out against it?

Unknown said...

20 cents
Dwelling in things archaic seems to be the main preoccupation of our government. Sedition laws were introduced to protect the monarchs of many centuries ago. Our government, by still sticking to this act, also shows that it actually lives and governs in that era. By government, they mean that they are kings, and therefore untouchables. So sorry, whatever they do are things that monarchs do and being monarchs themselves, we, I am sad to say, cannot question them. Therefore speaking against these monarchs, who incidentally are working hard to called gods, is seditious.

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