Several reporters, including those from Malaysiakini and the now-defunct The Malaysian Insider may be called in for questioning by police for reporting on the Citizens' Declaration and the petition to urge Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak to step down, according to lawyers.
Former Bar Council president Ambiga Sreenevasan said that up to eight activists and media practitioners would be hauled up.
"I was informed that there are seven or eight names in the list of those to be called," she told Malaysiakini when met outside the Petaling Jaya police district headquarters today.
Ambiga was there in support of activist Azrul Mohd Khalib who was called in for questioning by police under the Sedition Act 1948 over his role in starting the online petition in support of the Citizens' Declaration calling for Najib to step down.
While they may not be called in for direct involvement in the declaration and petition like Azrul was today, she believes that the reporters would be called for their reporting of the matter.
"This shows that there is no freedom of expression," she said.
Ambiga added that the government was acting this way because the powers-that-be seemed perturbed by the declaration.
"I think that the Citizens' Declaration had bothered them," she laughed.
However, other lawyers present said that they could not reveal the names of those on the list as the individuals have not yet been informed by police and it might infringe on their privacy.
Meanwhile, Azrul, met after being quizzed by police, said that calling in reporters was an effort to discourage the media from reporting on such matters.
"Those that will be called in includes editor from TMI and Malaysiakini as well as journalists and bloggers.
"This shows the intention (of the authorities) to take down those that urge the prime minister to step down (and) weaken the media which report on it," he said.
Azrul was called in to give his statement on the online petition he started on social movement site change.org in support of the Citizens Declaration calling for Najib to step down, for which he is currently investigated under Section 4(1) of the Sedition Act. -Mkini
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