COMMUNICATIONS Minister Fahmi Fadzil has come under fire for mooting a task force against the dissemination of irresponsible statements and fake news in the run-up to the state Sungai Bakap by-election slated for July 6.
Human rights activist and lawyer Charles Hector has described the measures laid down by the PKR information chief as tantamount to abusing government resources to help candidates from the ruling coalition win the poll.
“Should this not be part of the candidates’ election expenditure? For free and fair elections, the government must stay neutral by leaving campaigning to the candidates themselves – including addressing issues that pop up in social media,” opined Hector in his latest blog.
“Candidates should be responsible for responding to ‘irresponsible statements’ or fake news themselves without any need to block social media or censor content.”
The Sungai Bakap seat fell vacant following the demise of first-term PAS state assemblyman Nor Zamri Latiff on May 24 after spending over three weeks in intensive care due to stomach inflammation.
Elaborating further, Hector said ministers “should also not be out there campaigning for candidates although they can be there as party members.”.
“Steps should be taken to request media not to report that this was the Prime Minister or any minister,” he suggested.
“And certainly, no government resources—no police escorts, bodyguards, government cars or planes—must be utilised to facilitate the campaigning process so as to ensure free and fair elections.
“Likewise, no (new) government allocations or new projects are to be publicly announced beginning from the date a seat becomes vacant until the end of the by-elections. We want free and fair elections.”
More broadly, Hector contended that setting up a special government task force just for elections is often a move that is favourable to government party candidates but not so for opposition and independent candidates.
“Secondly, no censorship, blocking of access, hacking, etc without first getting a court order,” asserted the co-founder of Malaysians Against Death Penalty & Torture (MADPET).
“This court order can be obtained speedily and judges will determine justly whether a social media post ought to blocked or otherwise, and most importantly the known owner/creator of the post must be notified so that they have an opportunity to the right to be heard, and the right to challenge the order obtained by government.” – June 7, 2024
