Live statuteSupportedMYRacial hatred
s.3(1)(e), s.4(1)
Sedition Act 1948 (Act 15)
- Target
- Uttering seditious words or publishing a seditious publication, including a tendency to promote racial ill-will
- Test
- A 'seditious tendency' includes promoting feelings of ill-will and hostility between different races or classes of the population. Intention is deemed irrelevant if the words had that tendency (s.3(3)).
- Max
- First offence: fine not exceeding RM5,000 or 3 years, or both; subsequent offence: 5 years (2006 reprint as quoted)
A “seditious tendency” is a tendency— … (e) to promote feelings of ill-will and hostility between different races or classes of the population of Malaysia; … Any person who— (a) does or attempts to do, or makes any preparation to do, or conspires with any person to do, any act which has or which would, if done, have a seditious tendency; (b) utters any seditious words; (c) prints, publishes, sells, offers for sale, distributes or reproduces any seditious publication; or (d) imports any seditious publication, shall be guilty of an offence and shall, on conviction, be liable for a first offence to a fine not exceeding five thousand ringgit or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding three years or to both, and, for a subsequent offence, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years.
Official English reprint, Laws of Malaysia Act 15, Attorney General’s Chambers portal (lom.agc.gov.my). The quoted text is the 2006 consolidation. s.3(1)(e) and s.4(1).
Cite · Sedition Act 1948 (Act 15), s.3(1)(e), s.4(1) · as of 2026-09-05
- Do not collapse seditious tendency into Israel §24 independent praise.
- Overlay via colonial sedition machinery. Not a listed-speech terrorism offence.
- Sedition (Amendment) Act 2015 (A1485) was gazetted 4 June 2015. It commences on a date appointed by the Minister. That commencement is Unproven here. The quote is the 2006 reprint.