LAWYER Fadiah Nadwa Fikri had her statement taken today by police over a protest on Saturday night against the new government under Muhyiddin Yassin.

“It is clear that it is done to silence us… Malaysians feel deeply about what’s going on in this country, I am not the only person,” Malaysiakini quoted the prominent activist as saying.

Speaking to reporters outside the Bukit Aman police headquarters, the activist condemned the investigation, calling it intimidation and harassment that went against the principle of free speech.

Posting on Twitter later, Fadiah said that “police how have access to my Twitter account as I was compelled to surrender access under the Communications & Multimedia Act”.

Fadiah is being investigated under the Sedition Act, and the Communications and Multimedia Act.

She had urged people on social media to join Saturday’s rally, calling the formation of the new government a “betrayal”.

The new government under Bersatu president Muhyiddin replaced the Pakatan Harapan government that was elected in the 14th general election in May 2018.

The change followed a week of intense political manoeuvring by Muhyiddin, ex-PKR deputy president Mohamed Azmin Ali, Umno and PAS to form a new coalition.

Muhyiddin was sworn in as prime minister on March 1, but Pakatan Harapan is calling for an emergency Dewan Rakyat sitting to challenge Muhyiddin’s majority support among the MPs.

Other rights activists joined Fadiah at Bukit Aman today to show their solidarity, including Ivy Josiah, Suaram executive director Sevan Doraisamy and Marina Mahathir. – March 3, 2020.