Media statement by Charles Santiago in Klang on Wednesday, 21^st September 2011:

Is it a crime to have a different point of view from Barisan Nasional / UMNO?

The criminal defamation charge against PAS deputy president Mohamad Sabu at the Butterworth Sessions Court this morning was trumped up to serve the political aims of the Barisan Nasional.

By challenging the official account of the 1950 Bukit Kepong incident at a ceramah in Tasek Gelugor on Aug 21, Mat Sabu has opened discussions into a section of our history that needs to be reviewed.

Just how proposing an alternative view of history can lead to a criminal charge is anyone's guess.

The writing of history should be an academic one. History should be as objective as possible with little or no intervention from any party that wants to tweak it to suit their needs and goals.

It is not the job of the government to write history - that should be left in the hands of the academics, historians and the public through agreed and established processes.

If Barisan Nasional feels it has the right to determine what our history should be, then we should close down the history departments in our universities.

The job of the government is to make sure we, as a society, learn from history and move forward. The initiative to explore alternative perspectives on history should not be stifled due to self-serving interests.

Mat Sabu's only crime in this case is that he is a leading member of PAS which is increasingly perceived as an alternative to UMNO.

The fact that this charge, which challenges the freedom of speech guaranteed in our Constitution, came just days after the Prime Minister announced a string of "reforms" involving restrictive laws says a lot to the commitment, sincerity and spirit in which the announcement on the eve of Malaysia Day was made.

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