PUTRAJAYA: The statement by former Coalition for Fair and Clean Elections (Bersih) chairman Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan alleging that the Unity Government was “the most dictatorial government’ in Malaysia’s history was hyperbole and not grounded in reality, Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil said.
The Unity Government spokesman said although Ambiga had the right to voice her opinion about the issue, her criticism seemed to be misplaced and out of context.
“That’s a hyperbolic statement, it does not reflect reality as we aren’t the government that conducted Ops Lalang, this government did not beat up demonstration participants.
“In fact, a group of protestors who gathered in front of the Prime Minister’s service centre in Tambun, Perak, were not greeted with baton and tear gas but were given water and bread,” he told a media conference here today, in response to Ambiga’s criticism of the government for not abolishing the Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984 and introducing new licensing requirements instead.
Several engagement sessions with stakeholders, including the Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ), had been held since February before the government introduced the new regulatory framework, Fahmi said.
“This proves the MCMC (Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission) and the government are very open to accepting constructive opinions and criticism, Bersih was invited but did not attend,” he added.
The MCMC announced last Saturday that all current social media and internet messaging service providers with at least eight million registered Malaysian users must apply for an Application Service Provider Class Licence under the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 (Act 588).
The licensing requirement will take effect from Jan 1 next year.
