PKR Youth chief Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir said the wing respects the separation of powers of the courts and government but that the decision should move Putrajaya to abolish the Sedition Act 1948 as promised in Pakatan Harapan’s (PH) election manifesto.

“For me, this should bring pressure on all parties to be more serious about reforms,” he told FMT.

“I regret and feel upset that the Sedition Act, which we have repeatedly said we would repeal, is still in existence. Today, it is being used to punish activists.”

He added that PKR Youth would be in touch with Wan Ji’s family to assist them in any way necessary.

Wan Ji was charged under Section 4(1) of the Sedition Act 1948, which carries a fine not exceeding RM5,000, a jail term of up to three years or both.

He was sentenced in April last year to nine months’ jail for the remarks made on his Facebook account in 2012.

Lawyer Lim Wei Jiet said he was surprised that the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) had pursued an appeal to enhance Wan Ji’s jail sentence.

He, too, said the government should repeal the Sedition Act and impose a moratorium on all charges under the act until then.

“It is a very sad day. I hope the AGC, in the future, will reconsider not appealing against sedition cases and drop all such cases as promised in the PH manifesto,” Lim, who is secretary-general of the National Human Rights Society, told FMT.

He also questioned the decision not to grant Wan Ji a stay of sentence as his was a custodial offence.

“Usually a stay of execution for a custodial offence is granted by the judge pending appeal,” he said.