Marina Mahathir is among politicians and activists rallying behind The Edge after the Home Ministry suspended the publishing permit of The Edge Financial Daily and The Edge Weekly. – Twitter screenshot, July 25, 2015.
Among those who took to Twitter to express solidarity was Timothy Philipp Gan, using the handle @timphilippganck who posted: “@mpkotabelud @NajibRazak Real Malaysian heroes are all the people in #TheEdge @theedgemarkets. You will never silent these true patriots!”
Another Twitter user using the handle @patricklsk said: “When the government is pushing massive propaganda to save Najib & 1MDB, any reports on the contrary will only CONFUSE the government.”
Muaz Omar @MuazOmar tweeted: “Msia suspend #TheEdge bcos they tricked Justo? Dat is not d issue @mpkotabelud @NajibRazak! D issue is 1MDB-PSI n 2.6b in @NajibRazak acct.”
Opposition politicians also tweeted their disappointment over the crackdown, with Selangor Menteri Besar Mohamed Azmin Ali tweeting using his handle @AzminAli: “In fact, #TheEdge would be failing in its duty if it did not report this mother of all scandals.”
Serdang MP Dr Ong Kian Ming hailed the publications' reporting on 1MDB in a tweet using his handle @imokman: “EdgeWeekly's coverage of @1mdb over the past year, informative & well-researched, should b given a prize x suspended.”
He also said: “Woodward & Bernstein were given the Pulitzer for uncovering the Watergate Scandal. In Msia, #TheEdge is suspended for its 1MDB coverage...”
PAS MP Hanipa Maidin also took to Twitter to express support for the publication, posting: “Beware!..’dictatorship’ is coming to us..it began with suspension of the Edge!”
Activists were also baffled by the publication’s suspension, with Lawyers for Liberty chief Eric Paulsen hailing The Edge's journalism in a tweet using his handle @EricPaulsen101: “The Edge’s coverage of 1MDB was Msia’s press finest hour. It was journalism at its best, fearless & relentless despite odds & threats.”
Lawyer and human rights activist Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan said, using her handle @Ambiga_S: “How can our Ministers remain silent in the face of the suspension of the Edge who exposed the grand larceny of the rakyat's money?
“It is the Edge and other media who have exposed the theft who are serving and saving this nation. The others are complicit in the fraud.”
There were also a few humorous tweets, including one from Yin Shao Loong @yinshaoloong who posted, tagging the prime minister: ”@NajibRazak sez got #Nothing2Hide, then shuts down #TheEdge after #1MDB. Public relations fail, leadership fail. Go to Jail, do not pass Go.”
The Home Ministry suspended the publishing permit of The Edge Weekly and The Edge Financial Daily for three months beginning July 27.
Earlier this month, The Edge received a show-cause letter in which the ministry gave them seven days to explain why action should not be taken under the Printing Presses and Publication Act 1984.
The Edge was accused of publishing articles on the controversial state fund 1MDB, which were said to have created confusion and doubt about the Malaysian government and financial institutions.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak has also been implicated in the scandal, with money from 1MDB-linked entities allegedly channelled into his personal accounts.
He has not addressed this claim directly but only denied taking funds for "personal gain".
- TMI
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