Dismissing 1MDB news as fake is curbing freedom of speech, says Muhyiddin


Radzi Razak

Muhyiddin Yassin questions why no action has been taken even though he had issued a statement on 1MDB almost two years ago. – The Malaysian Insight pic by Seth Akmal, March 12, 2018.

PRIME Minister Najib Razak and the Barisan Nasional government must answer to allegations of high-level corruption and misappropriation of funds from 1Malaysia Development Bhd, and not merely dismiss them as fake news, said Muhyiddin Yassin.

The Bersatu president said by labelling all news reports on 1MDB as fake news, the government is curtailing freedom of speech.

“This is a democratic country, and the people are free to speak up. Don’t use the excuse of fake news.

“I released a statement on 1MDB almost two years ago. Why has no action been taken?” said the former Umno minister.

Muhyiddin was responding to Deputy Communications and Multimedia Minister Jailani Johari’s statement that reports on the 1MDB scandal are being published as part of a political agenda to attack the government.

“If, in Malaysia, we cannot make any statements, it means that the people have lost the right to speak up. The country is not free.”

Yesterday, Jailani was reported as saying his ministry, via the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission, is monitoring fake news on 1MDB carried by international news agencies, such as The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, The Economist, Australian Broadcasting Corporation and MSNBC. – March 12, 2018.


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Comments


  • Yup, apparently only BERNAMAE & Uutusan Malusia r d authentic news channels!

    Posted 6 years ago by Musang Wang · Reply

  • Is Stanford Scandal a fake news. Muhyiddin - you have always been a liar. Today - you have no credibility. The majority of Malay look at you like a pariah.

    Posted 6 years ago by Chris Ng · Reply

  • With the law against fake news, everything said in the country would be determined either as genuine or fake based on government decision. If the government does not want to answer to any question then any proof on the matter would be fake. It would be an offence to talk about 1MDB because the government can decide that it does not exist.

    Posted 6 years ago by Meng Kow Loh · Reply