MALAYSIA Prime Minister Najib Razak said today that a colonial-era law curbing free speech would be retained and strengthened rather than abolished as he had pledged two years ago.

The Sedition Act was introduced by the British in 1948 and criminalises speech or actions with a “seditious tendency,” including those promoting hatred against the government.

Opening an assembly of his ruling Malay party, Mr Razak said the repressive law would be altered to include provisions to defend Islam and other religions and to act against those calling for the secession of Sabah and Sarawak states on Borneo island.

By contrast, Mr Razak said in 2012 that the law represented a “bygone era” and would be replaced with a new law blocking incitement of religious or racial hatred.

He also revoked a draconian security law allowing detention without trial and eased public assembly rules.

But his party has struggled to maintain its position and opposition members warned Mr Razak was increasingly relying on the law to suppress dissent.

Rights groups have campaigned against the law for years, branding it a restraint  on free speech and a government tool to silence critics.

At least 14 people, including opposition parliamentarians, academics and a journalist, have been charged under the law since last year.

The Malaysia-based rights group Movement to Abolish the Sedition Act warned:

“There is no room for the Sedition Act in a democratic Malaysia.”

Human Rights Watch called the announcement a “major reversal of human rights.”