How can the media profession criticise fairly, constructively, objectively and factually when repressive laws such as the Sedition Act (SA), Official Secrets Act (OSA) & The Printing Presses And Publication Act are used against those disseminating freedom of information such as Raja Petra Kamaruddin?

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Press Statement  

by Lim Guan Eng

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(Petaling Jaya, Thursday): The spirit of intolerance and oppression of the BN government in attacking blogs with a ferocity bordering on paranoia only reveals their feudal mind-set lack of ability in dealing with differing views or beliefs. In this modern era, BN leaders should not expect the people to worship them akin to gods but to use their educated minds to question and inquire as to poor governance. 

How can Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak Tun Razak urge the media profession to criticise fairly, constructively, objectively and factually when repressive laws such as the Sedition Act(SA), Official Secrets Act (OSA) & the Printing Presses and Publication Act are used against those disseminating freedom of information such as Raja Petra Kamaruddin? Najib claimed such constructive criticism was welcomed to help overcome government weaknesses and inefficiency. 

However what we have seen is outright hostility of the government towards constructive criticism or detesting anything related to press freedom. If the media profession is to be permitted to carry out its role responsibly then it must be left alone to do so without interference, harassment or threats. Not only have newspapers being suspended or closed down and slapped with a gag order, even bloggers are being arrested and questioned over content in blogs which did not originate from them. 

DAP condemns the authorities for questioning Malaysia Today website owner Raja Petra Kamaruddin, for eight hours by the police yesterday following a report lodged by UMNO information chief Tan Sri Muhammad bin Muhammad Taib on 23.7.2007 in relation to a July 11 posting in Malaysia Today which allegedly insulted the king and Islam. For the government to use the Sedition Act against Raja Petra when his website was not subject to Malaysian law as it is based outside Malaysia raises questions of legality as the Sedition Act is not applicable to a foreign country outside Malaysia.  

Such actions are contrary to the government’s Bill of Guarantees of the Multimedia SuperCorridor of no censorship in the internet. Worse the government is intent on following Singapore’s example of registering bloggers as a prelude to following the system in Thailand, China and Middle East countries, where there is censorship of the Internet. Is this the final service of Energy, Water and Communications Minister Datuk Seri Dr Lim Keng Yaik before he retires? 

Keng Yaik said rights come with responsibility, and everyone had equal burden of responsibility. However this does not mean that only the government has rights whereas the people and bloggers have responsibility. By exercising its rights and powers, the government must be accountable for its actions. If the government is not accountable, then the government has no right to seek action against bloggers who have no power.