Amnesty accuses govt of misusing CMA
PETALING JAYA: Amnesty International Malaysia has accused the government of intensifying the use of the Communications and Multimedia Act (CMA) to regulate online activities.
“The provisions under CMA are too wide, and it includes sentences that are unnecessary and disproportionate.”
“This amounts to a violation to the freedom of expression,” the non-governmental organisation (NGO) said in a statement today.
Amnesty said the authorities had stretched the use of this law to arrest, prosecute and detain government critics.
“After the 13th General Election, the government has tightened its hold on freedom of expression and there has been a steep increase in investigations and arrests of government critics under CMA and the Sedition Act 1948,” it said.
Amnesty said Deputy Communications and Multimedia Minister Jailani Johari had previously reported saying the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) had investigated 32 cases of misuse of the internet and new media under Section 233 of CMA, which included “defamation” and “dissemination of false news” via the internet.
“From early this year, it has become more obvious that the government is focusing on policing the social media, satire and the internet,” Amnesty said.
The group called for CMA and other related laws that suppressed freedom of speech to be repealed so that Malaysia could be in line with international human rights laws and standards.
On Monday, activist and graphic designer Fahmi Reza claimed trial for posting caricatures of PM Najib Razak in clown make up on his Instagram account. He was charged under Section 233 of the CMA.
Yesterday, a labourer, Amirul Azwan Mohd Shakri was jailed for a year after pleading guilty to 14 charges under the same section for insulting the Johor Crown Prince Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim.
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