Malaysian student activist jailed for 10 months under controversial sedition law

A Malaysian court yesterday sentenced a student activist to 10 months in jail for sedition amid the government's increasing use of colonial-era legislation to stifle dissent, despite promises to repeal the law.

The guilty verdict against Safwan Anang, 24, follows a recent wave of charges under the Sedition Act, with three opposition legislators charged in the past two weeks and a respected university lecturer charged on Tuesday.

Human rights group Amnesty International has called on Malaysia to end its "alarming use" of the law, which Prime Minister Najib Razak had pledged to repeal in 2012.

A Kuala Lumpur district court sentenced Safwan to 10 months in jail, his group Student Solidarity Malaysia said in a tweet. The court allowed him to remain free pending appeal.

The offence carries a maximum penalty of three years in jail.

Safwan was found guilty of sedition for a speech he made that allegedly encouraged people to topple the government after divisive polls in May last year.