Press Statement by Charles Santiago in Klang on Tuesday, 8^th September 2009:

MCMC should stop harassing Malaysiakini’s right to disseminate information

Ruling UMNO's foot soldiers and allies are at work, once again. This is evident in the interview session scheduled for Tuesday with seven staff members of Malaysiakini, the country's first online newspaper, by the Malaysian Communication and Multimedia Commission (MCMC).

Further to its investigation of two video clips which the MCMC claims has contravened the Communication and Multimedia Act 1998, statements from Malaysiakini's CEO Premesh Chandran, journalists, videographers and a video editor will be recorded by its officers.

This is outrageous and amounts to harassment and intimidation against Malaysiakini for doing its job. Clearly the MCMC is engaged in a conspiracy on its own, instigated by the ruling coalition government.

I strongly support Editor-In-Chief Stevan Gan's decision not to take down the two video clips relating to a rally by a group of Muslims who stomped and spat at a cow head, in protest against the relocation of a 150-year-old Hindu temple to their neighborhood and a subsequent press conference by Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein.

Kudos to Gan and his team of journalists, cameraman and editors who have risen against odds in an increasingly oppressive environment to report and disseminate information in a fair and accurate manner.

In sharp contrast, the MCMC has illustrated itself as a tool of UMNO and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak by colluding with the ruling elite to erase any evidence of the rally and shut away the unbecoming behavior of Hishammuddin who was quick to defend the goons.

In short, MCMC has become a tool for the government.

MCMC officers have also been in touch with Malaysiakini's service provider to ask for technical details about its video servers. This only goes to show that the MCMC wants to create fear among media workers and inadvertently rob the country of whatever media freedom that is left.

The argument by MCMC officers that the content of the two videos are offensive and provocative is flimsy and reveals the shaky plot of the government to do away with the negative publicity surrounding the cow head demonstration which has caught the frenzy of the international media.

Let me ask the MCMC a question - if the content is provocative, is it not true to say that the behavior of the demonstrators are equally indecent, obscene and menacing?

Although the Attorney-General has announced that the protesters would be charged, it is disturbing to note that he has been silent on when they would face the music.

As for Hishamuddin, he should know what he is talking about or the Home Minister must simply learn to shut up. It is laughable to note that after shooting off his mouth, Hishamuddin has resorted to pulling strings behind the scenes to get rid of the video which made him look foolish.

This is a plan gone awry on the part of the government. It does not take a rocket scientist to figure out that the cow head rally was carefully planned as a political smear on the Pakatan Rakyat led Selangor government.

Malaysians can see through the carefully orchestrated play on religion and politics, aimed to bring about a racial clash to rally the Malays behind UMNO, after its failure to galvanise their support. Furthermore both Najib and his cousin Hishamuddin have spelt out their ambition to topple the Selangor government.

Although it is given that the ruling government cares two hoots about both domestic and international vilification, I call upon the MCMC to immediately stop harassing media workers.

I strongly urge the government and MCMC officers to abandon their plan to interview Malaysiakini staff and stop all further attempts to silence the media and curb journalists from carrying out their duties without fear or favour.

* Charles Santiago, Selangor DAP Vice Chairman & MP for Klang