The Home Ministry ‘s suspension of The Edge Weekly and The Edge Financial Daily for three months beginning July 27 has shocked and angered Malaysians.
The fact that CIMB Chairman Datuk Seri Nasir Razak and Air Asia Group CEO Tan Sri Tony Fernandes have condemned the government’s move reflects the shock and anger of the business community.
The move is certainly unjustified and unacceptable and is a blatant disregard of freedom of the press.
The Edge Media Group CEO and publisher Ho Kay Tat has said the weekly stood by its reports and saying that it has done nothing wrong.
If the Edge Weekly and The Edge Financial Daily have made wrong reports, why can’t the government take the necessary legal action?
Ho certainly has the support of Malaysians when he said in a statement that “We don’t see how exposing the scam to cheat the people of Malaysia of billions of ringgit can be construed as being detrimental to public and national interest”.
When the government decided to block access to whistle blower site Sarawak Report, it was criticized for not taking legal actions to rebut the allegations as well disregarding the no internet censorship guarantee, yet it did not want to pay heed to the justified criticisms.
Has the government run into panic amidst all the 1 MDB related allegations against the Prime Minister and the government?
Blocking access to Sarawak Report, banning MPs from travelling out of the country without any valid reason and suspending The Edge and the Edge Financial Daily have shown Malaysians that the government is hitting the panic buttons.
DAP Parliamentary leader Lim Kit Siang has five days ago said that blocking access to whistleblower site Sarawak Report will only cause further damage to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s credibility and will not end his woes over scandal-ridden 1Malaysia Development Bhd, hitting the panic buttons will only worsen Najib’s credibility.
Teresa Kok