International news network Al Jazeera takes a look at Putrajaya’s recent crackdown on government critics via the Sedition Act 1948. – Youtube screenshot, May 16, 2015.
Putrajaya's crackdown on critics over the past few months has caught the attention of international news network Al Jazeera, which documented the state of affairs in Malaysia in a documentary for its 101 East section, published two days ago.
Al Jazeera journalist Mary Ann Jolley spoke to several prominent government critics who had been detained and charged under the country's controversial Sedition Act 1948, in the documentary titled "Malaysia: crackdown on freedom".
The documentary highlighted Putrajaya’s backpedalling on a "key election promise" by opting to retain and strengthen the Sedition Act which was initially supposed to be abolished.
Lembah Pantai MP Nurul Izzah Anwar, who was arrested over a speech she had made in Parliament, cartoonist Zulkiflee Anwar Haque, popularly known as Zunar, and lawyer Eric Paulsen featured in the documentary.
Zunar was recently arrested and charged for his tweets criticising the judiciary following opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's sodomy conviction in February, while Paulsen was arrested and charged for tweets criticising the Malaysian Islamic Development Department (Jakim).
The 26-minute video also featured a solitary voice from the government, Umno's Pulai MP Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamed, who is Public Accounts Committee (PAC) chairman.
Nur Jazlan warned in the documentary that the government's actions could increase the popularity of those arrested under the law.
“A lot of people who have been detained under the Sedition Act have become very popular,” he said.
“This furthers their political standing.”
Al Jazeera also referred to the federal government as a "fading light", citing its drop in popular support at the 2013 general election.
"The dazzling political advertisements on the ruling Malay party (Umno) headquarters are a sharp contrast to the government's fading light in the polls," Mary Ann said.
Ruling coalition Barisan Nasional won the 2013 general election with just 47% of the popular support, its worst electoral performance to date.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak himself now faces pressure to resign over a series of controversies regarding 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB)'s debts, the murder of Mongolian national Altantuya Shariibuu and his wife's allegedly lavish lifestyle, as well as for his policies.
His chief critic remains former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who once supported Najib to become PM but withdrew his support earlier this year.
- TMI
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.