EVEN POLITICAL ALLIES SHOCKED AT HOW "DICTATORIAL" ANWAR & PAKATAN HAVE BECOME - CRITICISMS OR QUESTIONS ABOUT DEALS TOO 'SENSITIVE' FOR THEM TO ANSWER TO BE DEEMED "HARASSING" OR "NOT CONSTRUCTIVE" - AND ELIGIBLE TO BE PUNISHED BY AUTHORITY?

 

Written by Mike Chong

KUALA LUMPUR (politicsnowmy.blogspot.com) -  Stifling Freedom of Speech: Another Broken Promise? The Malaysia Madani Government appears indifferent to the country's declining position in the World Press Freedom Index – a concern which grows increasingly. 

Despite the drastic drop from the 107th spot to the 73rd, the government's enthusiasm for restricting freedom of speech shows no signs of abating. 

Now, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) has been empowered with authority to take action against social media posts that criticise the government. It seems the government cannot be criticised or questioned as MCMC, an agency under the Ministry of Communications, may arbitrarily label certain posts as "not constructive" or "harassing," thus curtailing them. 

The question arises: Where is the promise made by Pakatan Harapan (PH) when they were in the opposition to grant freedom of speech to citizens? Where is the credibility of the Madani Government, which appears to be excessively fearful of its own shadow? 

Moreover, MCMC has announced that social media platforms and online messaging networks with at least 8 million registered users must obtain an operating license. The application period opens from August 1 and will be enforced commencing January 1, 2025. Failure to apply for a license will result in legal action under the Communications and Multimedia Act. 

Therefore, public perceptions need to be corrected; Otherwise, measures by the PH-controlled government will only confirm that the current administration is more dictatorial than previous ones which it chastised for the aim of political expediency.

Writer Mike Chong is the MCA Information Bureau Deputy Chief 

-https://politicsnowmy.blogspot.com/