PAKATAN Harapan urged the Government to sack both the chairman and CEO of the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) for attempting to silence online criticisms over the authorities’ failure to help flood victims.
“The Government and its agencies such as MCMC should respect democracy and the people’ views. It should never be curtailed or threatened like what is happening now,” it stressed.
The statement was signed by PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, DAP secretary general Lim Guan Eng, Parti Amanah Negara president Mohamad Sabu and United Progressive Kinabalu Organisation (UPKO) president Datuk Seri Madius Tangau.
Two days ago, Malaysiakini reported that the MCMC had sought Twitter’s help to remove posting critical of the Government’s handling of last weekend’s flash floods, which have devastated parts of Peninsula Malaysia and cost nearly 40 lives.
However, Twitter had rejected MCMC’s request.
“In the interest of transparency, we are writing to inform you that Twitter has received a request from MCMC regarding your Twitter account that claims the following content violates the law(s) of Malaysia.
“We have not taken any action on the reported content at this time as a result of this request,” said the email from Twitter, which was shared by the netizen who uses Twitterhandle @BadBoy2662.
Based on the email, MCMC wanted, among others, to remove criticism against a flood fundraising event involving Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Rina Harun.
Touching on the matter, Pakatan leaders were upset that the Government had misused MCMC to silence the people’s voice, especially when some are still reeling from the after-effects of the floods.
Undemocratic MCMC, incompetent ministers
They stressed that the public had every right to air their grievances, especially when it comes to issues such as rising cost of living, natural disasters and transgressions by Government leaders.
“What MCMC did was undemocratic. It reminds us of Malaysia’s authoritarian past and we should never go back to those times.
“And it is especially important now as we are planning for a future premised on digitalisation, providing a more open space for information technology to flourish,” they mentioned.
Pakatan leaders then urged Putrajaya to provide more financial aid to those affected by the floods, surpassing the help given by state governments.
“Our ministers responded poorly to the tragedy and were aptly labelled as ‘flood tourists’ by the angry public. Instead of using the criticism to improve themselves, our leaders are attempting to silence critics.
“Are these criticisms so bad that it has become a threat to national security, so much so that MCMC had to request Twitter to remove the unsavoury posts?” they queried. – Dec 25, 2021.
