Our Freedom of Expression being hijacked!

By Amde Sidik

What has happened to our freedom of speech or expression or media freedom in our country? I am not talking legalistically yet. We have not known the fate of Raja Petra the author of Malaysia Today (at time of writing) who was called up to Dang Wangi Police Station, Kuala Lumpur today. Umno Information Chief Muhammad Muhammad Taib lodged a police report that Raja Petra is not sensitive to a multi-ethnic Malaysia; create tension among various races and religions in the country -these are the reasons, as earlier mentioned by the Deputy Prime Minister. If bloggers fall in that category than the government would not hesitate to take harsh action said Nazri, a Minister in the Prime Minister.

Whilst the former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir said, no body can stop bloggers from blogging in the internet. I am not sure what it means- if it is OK, I want him to become Prime Minister again. We have enough with Idunnulah PM since the last few years.

My view is some of those bloggers are not stupid really. They do provide information and usually those information whether hundred percent correct, fifty percent correct only very small fractions correct should be left to their readers to judge. And since they are not so stupid sometime it came out to be true. The Government may take action if is untrue but what about those are true or those in grey areas, has the government taken any corrective action. Or like fulfilling general election promises, go after the corrupt politicians and civil servants, hundreds of reports made and submitted to authorities with regard to corruption and other malpractices by political leaders which are detrimental to public good but so far mostly muted. Who are going to tell the Malaysian public the truth or tell the untold, for all we know not the mainstream media in the country.Pitty.