Lawyers for Liberty (LFL) has criticised the government for investigating a former MP over a video allegedly defaming Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail.
The unnamed former lawmaker had purportedly accused the duo of orchestrating the MACC probe on former premier Ismail Sabri Yaakob over the Keluarga Malaysia promotional campaign.
LFL condemned what it described as the government's continued use of enforcement bodies to silence critics as was done during previous BN administrations.
"This is antithetical to the democracy that Anwar’s government claims to champion and a blatant abuse of power.
"Have the Pakatan Harapan members forgotten how dangerous it is when government machinery and enforcement bodies are used to silence or persecute political opponents?" LFL director Zaid Malek said in a statement today.
LFL reminded Harapan leaders that they once opposed the Anti-Fake News Act, yet now appear to justify similar prosecutions.
"There is no reason for the government to prosecute people for alleged false news simply because they are in power," Zaid (above) added.
A matter of public interest
Zaid pointed out that the MACC investigation into Ismail Sabri was a matter of public interest, making public discussions and speculation inevitable.
Instead of prosecuting individuals for their opinions, he urged the government to uphold freedom of speech - protected under Article 10(1)(a) of the Federal Constitution - adding that it was undemocratic to criminalise speech that strays from the facts.
"The criminalisation of discussions on public interest matters for purported ‘falsity’ deters discourse. The ‘truth’ now seems to be whatever the government decides, and those who disagree risk police action and court charges,” he said.
LFL called on the government to drop the investigation and ensure no one else faces criminal persecution for engaging in public discourse.
‘Cops not ministers’ private security arm’
Zaid also panned the use of police resources to protect the reputations of government leaders, arguing that if Anwar and Saifuddin feel defamed, they should pursue civil lawsuits like ordinary citizens.
"Why are they arrogating to the special privileges of having their reputation defended by the police? The police are not their private security arm," he said.
Bernama reported yesterday that the police were investigating a former lawmaker, whose identity was not disclosed, over a video uploaded online.
This came after Gerak Gempur Media Sosial Rakyat Secretariat secretary Razali Zakaria lodged a police report over alleged defamation.
Razali claimed that the former MP alleged Anwar had instructed the MACC to investigate Ismail Sabri, which led to the discovery of RM170 million in cash and other luxury items in a raid on his former aides recently. - Mkini
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