Freedom of expression on the Internet is threatened by calls to investigate and prosecute ‘Anwar’ under the Sedition Act.
Freedom of expression in Malaysia is highly curtailed, with the web being one of the few places where it has received legislative guarantees. The Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ) is thus worried about the impact of the investigation and possible prosecution of ‘Anwar’, the pseudonym of the man who posted controversial comments to the ‘Screenshots’ blog run by Jeff Ooi.
Following a thread on corruption, ‘Anwar’ likened Islam Hadhari to ‘shit’. While CIJ disagrees with the sentiments and believes that the comments could have been put more constructively, we firmly believe that ‘Anwar’ has a right to his opinion. It was unlikely, and has not, to result in communal tension or violence and was, presumably, an expression of his opinions, however crudely put.
To silence criticisms, particularly of what is perceived as Government policy (Islam Hadhari being a phrase commonly used by the Badawi administration when describing their aims), is unconscionable repression. A strong government can address criticism and become strengthened by it.