Govt doesn’t need cops to deal with criticism, says Zaid

 

Former law minister Zaid Ibrahim said the government has the resources needed to counter detractors and abuse.

PETALING JAYA: 

The government does not need the backing of the police force against criticism as it has the resources to counter detractors and abuse, a former law minister says.

Zaid Ibrahim said Putrajaya could use its resources and social media platforms to communicate its own information, or 

even propaganda

.

Why are the leaders so paranoid about criticism?

 he added in a post on X.

Zaid was responding to reports of a lawyer being probed for sedition after calling Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim a 

scammer

 over allegedly unfulfilled promises.

Rafique Rashid Ali had made the speech during an anti-government rally in June.

Zaid said it was neither fair nor justified to call Anwar a scammer as the prime minister had taken 

some positive actions to revive industries, such as attracting investors to the country to create a hub for high-end semiconductors

.

He said Anwar had also helped many infrastructure projects in states under PAS rule.

However, he said the investigation into Rafique was uncalled for, describing it as 

overkill

.

He said Anwar himself had said that the Sedition Act would only be used to curb issues related to the 3Rs of race, religion and royalty.

I urge the prime minister to tell the police to let the lawyer off and continue talking unimpeded,

 he said.

It’s good for Anwar’s own image. - FMT