ATTEMPTS by the government to censor the media will end in failure, says Indonesian poet Goenawan Mohamad.

The veteran author of Tempo Tempo magazine said based on his experience, such attempts often fail.

“From my past experience with censorship, I find that it never lasts and always ends in failure.

“So it is futile for Parliament (the government) or Umno to attempt such things. 

“It’s a waste of time and it’s useless. Do not do it,” he said after giving a lecture at the Sultan Alam Shah Museum in Shah Alam, Selangor, today.

He said this when asked to comment on the government’s move to investigate The Malaysian Insight news portal following calls from Umno representatives at the party’s general assembly that ended yesterday.

The matter was raised by delegates from Penang and Johor, Haliza Abdullah and Mohd Nashrol Hisham Abdullah, respectively, who said the online news portal had insulted Umno and its president, Najib Razak.

However, the duo did not specify which reports were considered insulting.

Haliza also urged the government, through the Communications and Multimedia Ministry, to investigate The Malaysian Insight.

Its minister, Salleh Said Keruak, then said he would investigate if The Malaysian Insight had violated any laws. – December 10, 2017.