Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Abdul Rahman Dahlan says the government is making a stand on Sarawak Report’s ‘blatant lies’. – The Malaysian Insider file pic, July 20, 2015.
Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Abdul Rahman Dahlan said the move was made to show the government’s refusal to condone irresponsible reporting by websites or blogs.
"The decision to block Sarawak Report is the responsibility of the government. No government in the world would allow such blatant lies and controversial news portals to operate within the country.
"We also know very well that Sarawak Report might be able to use other avenues to broadcast their vicious lies to Malaysia. But we have to make a stand. As a government we must make a stand," he told reporters at his Hari Raya open house in Tuaran, Sabah today.
The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) yesterday blocked Sarawak Report, citing national stability as its reason.
Malaysians criticised the move, with PAS deputy president Datuk Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man saying it would be a "big mistake" that would be "costly" for Putrajaya, while DAP's parliamentary leader Lim Kit Siang said it would further damage Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak's credibility and would not end his woes over scandal-ridden 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB).
The London-based site had been carrying exposes on 1MDB based on leaked information, which Malaysian authorities now say was tampered with.
Sarawak Report and Swiss national Xavier Andre Justo, arrested in Thailand for leaking the information, have denied the tampering claims.
However, Abdul Rahman appeared unperturbed over the criticism, maintaining that the government needed to make a stand.
"When a website is considered to be using tampered or falsification of documentation, then the government has to make a stand and that stand is very clear, we will not tolerate any website, news blogs who are irresponsible and use tampered documents ascertained by the Thai authorities.
"Whether they can go around the system and still address Malaysians, that's their problem. But at least the government is making a stand," he said when told that Sarawak Report could still be accessed.
Asked if this was a way for the government to cover its mistakes, Abdul Rahman said that news portals would still likely report the "lies and fabricated articles" from Sarawak Report.
"Who's going to stop them? This is an open society but the government is making a stand by law, using laws and there are provisions in the laws of MCMC that any website, news portal already proven to be using tampered documents can be shut down.
"So, Malaysiakini can say all they like, whatever they like. But at the end of the day, it is the government that will decide based on the law and the provisions within MCMC Act," he said.
- TMI
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