FAHMI Fadzil today defended the unity government’s stand on freedom of expression, saying that action was only taken against these spreading slander.

The communications minister, who is also the government spokesperson, said the government does not act against those who criticized the government.

He said this is dismissing Amnesty International’s human rights report for 2023 which depicted Malaysia in a poor light with the government allegedly failing to fulfill commitments to reform laws restricting the right to freedom of expression.

Amnesty International said in its report that Malaysia had failed to act on commitments made during the 2022 general election campaign to reform laws that curtailed freedom of expression and to adopt a Freedom of Information Act.

In a press conference in Putrajaya, Fahmi said no journalists have been detained and no publications have been closed down.

He said while the government accepts the views of Amnesty International, there was a difference when it came to any ‘freedom’ to spread slander.

“There is a difference between freedom of expression and freedom to spread slander. There is no issue to criticise the government, but those who create slander including against the prime minister… that slander cannot be accepted.

“So far, there are no journalists being detained or even any publications being closed down,” he was reported as saying in the New Straits Times. – 24 April, 2024.