Repression before reform in Malaysia By Baradan Kuppusamy
KUALA LUMPUR - A series of tough measures in recent weeks has raised fears of a
major crackdown on tolerance and dissent as rival political forces battle for
state power in a society made fragile by economic uncertainties and decades of
autocratic rule. The growing repression has added to the political intensity of
a mounting opposition movement bidding to topple the ruling government by next
month.
An influential Catholic newsletter now faces official closure over its
editorial policies, an inter-ethnic forum on religious freedom was recently
forcibly disrupted, a popular book on Islam by a respected Malaysian academic
has been banned and a senior judge has ordered a prominent blogger to reveal
his sources as
well as the identities of net users who wrote comments on his postings.
A Catholic journal, The Herald, faces closure because it planned to publish
political commentaries and other current affairs issues that the authorities
say are outside the religious scope of its publishing license. Church leaders,
who are already facing the authorities in court over various issues, including
the right to import bibles in the Malay language and the right to use Allah,
the Arabic word for God, in their prayers, have appealed to be allowed to
publish The Herald freely.
The same week state authorities banned a new book on Islam titled Muslim Women
and Challenge of Islamic Extremism written by respected Malaysian
academic Norani Othman. The move has sparked outrage among Muslim feminists and
civil rights activists and raised hard new questions about the government's
professed commitment to freedom of expression.
In early August, an inter-faith forum organized by the Malaysian Bar Council on
the plight of certain families who had converted to Islam was forcibly
disrupted by Muslim fundamentalists while police authorities did nothing to
protect the forum's right to free assembly and speech.
The same month a senior judge ordered a prominent blogger, Raja Petra
Kamarudin, to reveal not only his sources for three postings on his wildly
popular Malaysia Today website, but also the identities of hundreds of
individuals who left behind comments on his postings critical of the
government.
"Taken together there is a growing climate of fear and intolerance," said Yap
Swee Seng, executive director of Suaram, a leading human rights organization.
"Tolerance for dissent and freedom of media is narrowing. What little media
freedom existed is now under severe threat," he said.
Lawyers and civil rights activists say that this string of events points to an
official assault on media freedom, freedom of expression, and religious
freedoms. They fear the recent oppression signals the beginning of the end of a
more liberal atmosphere ushered in after the 2004 general election, which saw
Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi win a huge mandate on a pro-reform ticket.
General elections held in March of this year saw his United Malays Nasional
Organization (UMNO)-led government lose control over five of the federation's
13 state governments to the opposition. Many UMNO supporters now fear lawmaker
defections to opposition de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim's camp.
Reform threat
Anwar - who is now contesting a highly anticipated August 26 by-election to
return to parliament after an absence of 10 years - has vowed to topple the
government by September 16 and once in power initiate a wide raft of democratic
and economic reforms. They include proposals to an overhaul of the judiciary,
liberalization of the media and dissolution of the New Economic Policy, which
currently gives favor to ethnic Malays over Chinese and Indians.
His bid to power has been complicated by recent sodomy charges, which the
Attorney General formally lodged against Anwar earlier this month. Anwar has
denied the charges, which he has characterized as a political conspiracy led by
the prime minister's office to derail his reform movement.
Meanwhile, the hardening of attitudes and the recent moves to curb dissent are
likewise seen as an attempt to strengthen the ruling political establishment
dominated by UMNO, which has ruled without interruption since independence was
achieved in 1957.
"They [UMNO] are weak while the opposition is gaining ground. The series of
repressive measures must be seen in that light as an attempt to curb freedom
and defend the political status quo," said a prominent lawyer who declined to
be identified for fear of government reprisals.
He said the recent court order against the popular Malaysia Today website has
had a negative impact on the vibrant blogging community, which in recent years
has given Malaysian readers an alternative view of politics and society than
that offered by the state-controlled mainstream media.
"The court order to reveal sources and identity of commentators is having a
chilling effect on bloggers," the lawyer said. "They are worried that
multi-million dollar sedition or defamation suits may follow."
The Writer's Alliance for Media Independence and the Center for Independent
Journalism has expressed alarm at the recent series of hard-line measures,
including the banning of the book on Islam.
"If the authorities find the book to be false or misleading, then they should
put up a case through rebutting it," the organizations said in a joint
statement. "The government must have the courage to engage in public debate and
win the battle for public opinion."
"Banning books is an act of cowardice," they said, urging the repeal of the
Printing Presses and Publications Act gives authorities the legal discretion to
ban books and publications deemed as a threat to security and stability.
They urged Muslim non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to step forward to
defend freedom and campaign to stop the banning of books while pushing the
government to show accountability, transparency and openness when reviewing
books on Islam. Over 30 civil rights NGOs recently signed a joint petition
condemning the increasing repression and intolerance of dissent and calling on
Malaysians to rise and defend freedom to show the authorities their concern.
"We should not tolerate or condone extreme acts aimed at curbing legitimate
public discussion," said Ramon Navaratnam, one of the signatories and chairman
of the Malaysian chapter of Transparency International. "We must uphold the
right of Malaysians to exercise their freedom to dissent and even to engage in
peaceful demonstration in defense of their concerns," he said.
(Inter Press Service with additions by Asia Times Online.)
Head
Office: Unit B, 16/F, Li Dong Building, No. 9 Li Yuen Street East,
Central, Hong Kong Thailand Bureau:
11/13 Petchkasem Road,
Hua Hin, Prachuab Kirikhan, Thailand 77110
