THE Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) will not take any action against journalist Tashny Sukumaran over her report on mass arrests of undocumented migrants at a building under Covid-19 lockdown, the minister in charge said.

Communications and Multimedia Minister Saifuddin Abdullah said he had directed MCMC not to take any action and defended the journalist’s right to write her article.

“I (have) stated to TV3 this morning that I (have) directed MCMC to not act against (you). I may not like (your) piece but I will defend (your) right to write it,” Saifuddin said on Twitter today.

He was replying to Tashny’s tweet announcing her summons to the Bukit Aman police headquarters this Wednesday for questioning under the Penal Code and the Communications and Multimedia Act (CMA).

Saifuddin also said director-general of health Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah had clarified yesterday some of the issues Tashny had raised in her article.

Saifuddin’s remarks are likely to only have effect as far as action under the Section 233 of the CMA is concerned.

The section deals with sharing of “offensive and menacing content” and carries a maximum fine of RM50,000 or a jail term not exceeding one year, or both.

Section 504 of the Penal Code pertains to intentional insult and provocation that could cause breach of public peace carries a penalty of imprisonment of up to two years, or a fine, or both. – May 3, 2020.