MCA Youth has expressed concern over the ongoing suppression of free speech and press freedom in Malaysia, saying the “blatant disregard” for democratic ideals directly contradicts the unity government’s promises of openness and progress.
Its secretary-general Saw Yee Fung was referring to the recent incident involving prominent lawyer Shamsher Singh Thind, who disclosed that his Facebook post questioning the awarding of a project by the Selangor state government to a company owned by the spouse of Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh had been censored by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC).
She further cited recent Facebook statistics, which revealed a staggering increase in content restricted on the platform – from a mere 536 instances in 2022 to a shocking 8,580 in 2023, a 1,501% surge.
Compared to 2019’s figure of 255, Saw said the rise in content restriction under the current administration is a colossal 3,265%.
“These figures demonstrate a clear pattern: the unity government, particularly through the Communications Ministry, is actively silencing online voices to a degree far exceeding the previous administration,” she added.
“Their methods are forceful, brutal, and far-reaching, directly contradicting the promises of a more democratic, progressive, and open Malaysia.”
Saw said while most would agree on the need to restrict hate speech concerning sensitive topics such as race, religion and royalty (3R), the question remains if all restricted content are truly related to the 3R category or if the content is being targeted due to its criticism of the government.
“Instead of resorting to heavy-handed censorship, the government should utilise its abundant public resources and official channels to address criticism transparently,” she reckoned.
“Open discussions and clarifications are far more effective tools than silencing dissent. This oppressive approach only fuels public suspicion and raises questions about the government’s own transparency and accountability.” – June 6, 2024
Main pic credit: Scientific American
