Najib’s right to clamp down on dissent, says Shahidan

Datuk Seri Najib Razak has been vested with the powers to act against dissenters, says a minister today in reference to a global rights group’s criticism of the use of repressive and draconian laws against Putrajaya’s critics. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Afif Abd Halim, October 28, 2015. 

Datuk Seri Najib Razak has the prerogative to act against dissenting voices as this was within his powers as prime minister, a Cabinet member said today in rebuttal to a new report by a global human rights group about Malaysia’s clampdown on freedom of expression.

Refuting allegations that Putrajaya was abusing laws to criminalise peaceful expression, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim said Najib had been fair in all his actions.

“The remarks are in reference to some of the prime minister’s actions but it is Najib’s jurisdiction to do so,” he told reporters at the Parliament lobby today, referring to findings in a recent report by international group Human Rights Watch (HRW).

“It was his (Najib’s) jurisdiction and he did not go against it. He has conducted his responsibilities fairly.”

The New York-based watchdog released a report yesterday documenting Putrajaya’s alleged abuse of laws to criminalise peaceful expression and urged Najib to stop treating criticism as a crime.

Titled “Creating a Culture of Fear: The Criminalisation of Peaceful Expression in Malaysia”, the 145-page report accused Najib of breaking his promises to repeal repressive and draconian laws and also reminded him of his pledge to “uphold civil liberties” when he took office in April 2009.

- TMI