Former DAP MP Tony Pua has drawn parallels between the police investigation into an alleged conspiracy to topple the government and his own persecution during the 1MDB era, calling on Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to put a stop to what he described as "ridiculous nonsense".
Pua, who police investigated and barred from leaving the country during the 1MDB scandal for alleged conspiracy in activities detrimental to parliamentary democracy, said the latest probe felt unsettlingly familiar.
"Sounds like deja vu. I was barred from leaving the country. Over Najib's 1MDB, great, great, great grandmother of all scandals, of course.
"Now, the police are again investigating an alleged conspiracy to topple the government, involving a purported ‘influential individual’ and an international media agency. Over the Azam Baki and MACC 'corporate mafia' scandal?” he said on Facebook.
Pua also took a direct swipe at Anwar, who built his political career on the reformasi movement.
"Our reformasi PM must stop this ridiculous nonsense," said the former political secretary to then-finance minister Lim Guan Eng.
Pua was barred from travelling to Yogyakarta, Indonesia, on July 22, 2015, after then-inspector-general of police Khalid Abu Bakar informed the Immigration Department's director-general, via a letter dated July 15, 2015, that the politician was being investigated under Section 124B of the Penal Code on an alleged activity detrimental to parliamentary democracy.
He was investigated as a witness, not a suspect.
Pua was not alone in facing such measures. Pandan MP Rafizi Ramli, who was also an ardent critic of 1MDB, and The Edge Media Group's owner Tong Kooi Ong, were similarly banned.
The group publishes The Edge Financial Daily and The Edge Weekly, both of which have covered the 1MDB controversy extensively.
Wife of former minister is ‘influential figure’
The wife of a former cabinet minister has come under police scrutiny after a report alleged she was plotting to topple the government and Anwar.
Malaysiakini learned that she was the "influential individual" Inspector-General of Police Khalid Ismail meant in his press statement earlier today, where he announced an investigation into an attempt to destabilise the country.
Khalid said the probe is being carried out under Section 124B of the Penal Code after police received a report yesterday regarding the alleged conspiracy.
Section 124B of the Penal Code criminalises activities deemed detrimental to parliamentary democracy and carries a jail term of up to 20 years.
According to a copy of the police report sighted by Malaysiakini, the woman had allegedly held an online meeting sometime in July last year, where she discussed a purported plan to use international media outlets to mount pressure on Anwar and Azam.
The former minister's two children, two lawyers, and several representatives of an international strategic communications firm purportedly attended the meeting.
Malaysiakini is withholding the woman's name pending a response from her and her lawyers.
Based on the report, it was established that the meeting also involved two businesspersons, including one who lodged the police report, saying they disagreed with the plan and had since pulled out.
Govt leaders on receiving end before
In a separate statement, Lawyers for Liberty (LFL) executive director Zaid Malek said that invoking Section 124B of the Penal Code, which is long associated with the suppression of dissent, directly contradicts the government’s stated commitment to reform.
Echoing Pua, Zaid noted that the provision has a well-documented history of being used against government critics.
“Among those who fell victim to this oppressive law were those who demanded investigation and justice on the 1MDB, such as activists, civil society members, including members of Bersih, members of the media, and government critics.
“Surely Anwar does not suffer from any memory lapse over the oppressive nature of this law. Pua and Rafizi, famously, were also probed under Section 124B for their outcry on the 1MDB scandal.
“Even if he no longer has access to them, Adam Adli Abdul Halim, who is a deputy minister, could probably recount firsthand his arrest under the provision in 2013.
“It is disappointing that this came about in the year when the government purportedly promised to focus on the reform agenda,” Zaid added.
He also reminded the authorities that freedom of expression is enshrined within Article 10(1)(a) of the Federal Constitution for exactly this purpose, which means that the existence and continued use of Section 124B of the Penal Code is unlawful, unconstitutional, and entirely antithetical to any concept of reform. - Mkini
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