Action should be taken against Utusan Malaysia under the 1984 Printing Presses and Publications Act or Multimedia and Communications Act 1998 for false news
DAP condemns that death threats made against the whistle-blower and parent of a student SK Seri Pristana who exposed the case of students being made to eat in a school shower room, Guneswari, as well as the school’s headmaster Mohamad Nasir Mohd Noor. Such violent threats are criminal wrongdoings and completely against Malaysian culture of rational, reasoned and objective solutions towards problem solving. DAP hopes the police and catch those responsible for spreading this culture of violence.
On another matter, the public had had enough of lies spread by Utusan Malaysia to foment fear and hate amongst Malaysia’s multi-religious society. For a paper that lies about PR leaders is done as easily like breathing in and breathing out. Opposition leaders like myself winning defamation suits in courts against Utusan has not stopped Utusan from continuing its lying culture. Nothing is beyond Utusan Malaysia until it can openly call for the bloody May 13 racial riots that killed thousands of innocent Malaysians to be celebrated as a holy day.
However Utusan Malaysia has reached another low when it lied about Selangor acting police A Thaiveegan warning that the police would not hesitate to use the Sedition Act against those who spread photographs of the makeshift canteen in the shower room because such images could result in provocation and racial conflict. According to A. Thaiveegan, he had not said anything to the effect of using the Sedition Act.
Firm action should be taken against Utusan Malaysia under the Printing Presses & Publications Act 1984 or Multimedia and Communications Act 1998 for false news that police will be using the Sedition Act against those who spread photos of the makeshift canteen in shower room controversy. Under section 8 A of the Printing Presses & Publications Act 1984, the penalty for false news is a maximum fine of RM20,000 and imprisonment of 3 years or to both whereas under section 233(1) of the Multimedia and Communications Act 1998, the maximum fine not exceeding fifty thousand ringgit or to imprisonment not exceeding one year or to both.
DAP doubts that action will be taken against Utusan Malaysia for spreading false news as the BN practices double-standards and selective prosecution in only punishing its opponents but not those who support BN. Witness the failure to punish Perkasa leaders Ibrahim Ali and Zulkifli Noordin for their calls respectively to burn the Bible and make insults against Hindus. Worse UMNO Ministers like Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Abdul Rahman’s shocking refusal to condemn Ibrahim Ali’s call to burn the Bible or that Ibrahim Ali should apologise and be punished.
