Was Fahmi out of line or did social media distort his statement on 3R?

COMMUNICATIONS and Digital Minister Fahmi Fadzil should be more careful with his choice of words to avoid confusion and backlash, said National Human Rights Society (HAKAM).

Was Fahmi really out of line or did opponents on social media deliberately twist his statement?During a live-streamed session, Fahmi said those who spread fake news on issues related to race, religion and the royals or the 3R were being “monitored by authorities” and may be visited by the police.His statement caused havoc on social media networks with PN supporters and leaders attacking him for ‘threatening’ users with police action.However, pro-Pakatan Harapan (PH) supporters came to his defence saying someone somehow has to remind internet users that they are not totally free to spread hatred and abuse of the 3R without consequences.The well-known cartoonist Fahmi Redza jumped on the bandwagon of criticism.He posted the following:

The man who depicted former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak as an IT clown did it again with the cartoon of Fahmi Fadzil in a police outfit.But the question remains. Was the minister wrong in issuing the warning? Did he violate any PKR or PH principles or policies on freedom of the internet?Explaining his statement, Fahmi claimed that they were directed at netizens who were making provocative remarks about the 3Rs—race, religion and royalty—during the discussion.Moreover, HAKAM are also giving their views on the matter.HAKAM president M Ramachelvam said Fahmi could have made his comments more appropriately, instead of speaking words that could be perceived as a threat.

Suara Rakyat Malaysia (SUARAM) concurs with HAKAM that Fahmi should be more careful with his statements in order to prevent being interpreted as threatening dissenters or limiting their freedom of speech.

Yet, no one has an answer to the massive problem Malaysia is facing since the appointment of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim as Prime Minister.There has since been a rise in personal attacks against Anwar, with some people getting into trouble over their comments about the 3R altogether.Anwar has offered a truce to his opponents who went vitriolic against him, urging them not to use religion to try to undermine him though this too was to no avail. – July 30, 2023

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