[Communications] minister, Datuk Seri Salleh Said Keruak, said….
“Such as the actions we took against Sarawak Report, because it abused the platform by disseminating many reports about the goings-on in this country that were false and without basis.”
He added that the site, which had been reporting exposes on debt-ridden state investment firm 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB), had malicious intent in publishing such reports.
“Their reasons for doing so are clear, to threaten the socio-economic stability in our country. This we cannot allow.”
The MCMC blocked access to Sarawak Report in July and it remains inaccessible in Malaysia unless virtual private networks (VPN) are used. Salleh also acknowledged that despite being relatively newer, online media had better appeal compared with the mainstream, traditional press.
“Online media such as the news portals, although they only came about in the last few years, have managed to attract high readership. Even more compared with traditional media.”
The judge who tossed out the government’s ban against The Edge pointed out that the case was futile, since the Home Ministry had provided not a single example to back up its complaints about inaccurate reporting.
Likewise with respect to Sarawak Report.
Mr Salleh has hurled accusations about “false and baseless” reporting, but provided not a single example.
Annoying to me is not synonymous with untrue.
This government is making a right fool of itself in the eyes of the world by abusing its authority in such a manner and eventually will have to pay the price.