POLICE are investigating Al Jazeera under the Penal Code and Sedition Act for its controversial report on illegal immigrants, said Abdul Hamid Bador

Inspector-General of Police Abdul Hamid Bador said the satellite channel’s journalists will be called in for questioning soon.  

“They are being investigated under the Penal Code and Sedition Act. We will see if they get charged after they answer questions (from the investigation),” Hamid said at a doorstop interview in Putrajaya today. 

Several police reports had been lodged but the top cop said he did not have the exact number.

National news agency Bernama reported that the Immigration Department had also lodged a report. 

Al Jazeera’s 20-minute documentary, Locked Up in Malaysia’s Lockdown, claimed the government discriminated against illegals amid the virus crisis.

Health Minister Dr Adham Baba slammed the accusations made in the documentary, saying actions taken under the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988 are meant to protect both locals and foreigners from Covid-19.

Home Minister Hamzah Zainuddin also slammed the Qatari network for sensationalising the report and Senior Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob demanded an apology from them. 

Communications and Multimedia Minister Saifuddin Abdullah said the news report not only portrayed an inaccurate account of how the government had been managing the outbreak, it also painted a very bad image of the country.

“The beginning and the end of this particular news report were done badly, and in addition had caused much damage to Malaysia’s image. 

“The report kicked off by mentioning ‘racism’ and ended the same way. Malaysian is a multiracial and multireligious country and widely known as a peaceful nation.

“It is not as how portrayed by Al Jazeera at all. I am not too keen with the fact they started and ended the report with that (racism) as though the situation is so bad over here… this is inaccurate,” he told a media conference. – July 7, 2020.