'Defend Putrajaya': Blogger comes under MCMC scope

Malaysia Chronicle blogmaster Wong Choon Mei had her statement taken by Malaysian Multimedia and Communications Commission (MCMC) officers over an article about a speech by Umno president Najib Abdul Razak last Thursday.

The speech - in which Najib had called on Umno members to 'defend' Putrajaya - was blogged on by Wong on the same day Najib addressed delegates to the party's annual general meeting.

Her lawyer, Latheefa Koya, said Wong was interrogated at MCMC's office in Cyberjaya 11am this morning under Section 211 and 233 of the Multimedia and Communication Act 1998.

Latheefa, who is also PKR information chief, said she had accompanied Wong but was told by senior MCMC officers that if she insisted on being with her client, her statement would also be taken as a witness.

Despite objecting on grounds that her client had a right to having her lawyer by her side, the MCMC insisted on interviewing Wong alone.

“She answered those questions she was comfortable with, and did not answer those questions (she felt she needed) to get the appropriate advice on from here lawyer,” she told Malaysiakini when contacted.

According to Latheefa, Wong spent about two hours answering MCMC officers' questions, leaving about 1.30 this afternoon.

Last Friday, MCMC also took the statement of Malaysiakini editori-in-chief Steven Gan (right, in white) over two of the news portal's reports entitled 'We must defend Putrajaya at all costs: Najib' and 'PM moves to snuff out racial debates'.

As with Wong, the statements were taken under Section 211 and 233 of the MCMC Act 1998.

Gan described MCMC's actions as a waste of time and ridiculous given the reports in question were based on Najib's written speech.

“We did not distort what he wrote. Everything that Malaysiakini reported was taken from his speech,” said Gan. - Malaysiakini