MCMC raid on Malaysiakini based on complaints, deputy minister says

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 11 — The raid by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) on the office of news portal Malaysiakini on Tuesday was based on complaints received by MCMC on the portal’s news reports.

Communications and Multimedia Deputy Minister Datuk Jailani Johari said based on the complaints, MCMC and the Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM) investigated the matter under Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998. 

“The investigation will look in terms of content, and the investigation process is still ongoing, and I cannot comment further on the investigation,” he said when winding-up the debate on the 2017 Supply Bill at committee stage for his ministry in the Dewan Rakyat tonight.

He said if the investigations found any evidence of wrongdoing under the Act, it would be submitted to the Attorney-General’s Chambers for further action.

Section 233 of the Act states the improper use of network facilities or network service in which a person initiates the transmission of any comment, request, suggestion or other communication which was obscene, indecent, false, menacing or offensive in character with intent to annoy, abuse, threaten or harass another person.

Jailani said the raid was accompanied by the police to avoid any overlapping because the police could also conduct an investigation into the complaint under Section 233.

In the meantime, on the issue of Bernama News Channel (BNC) talkshow host Datuk Dahlan Maamor who was barred from hosting the programme, he said the decision was made by the company and that no orders were issued by any party regarding the decision, as reported by a news portal.

“The decision doesn’t follow any instruction from any party as it was the company’s decision,” he added. Jailani also explained the issue of 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) president Arul Kanda Kandasamy who had allegedly attended a programme organised by the Special Affairs Department (Jasa) in Sydney recently.

Earlier during debate, a number of opposition members of parliament (MPs) had questioned whether Jasa had sponsored the cost for Arul Kanda to attend the programme.

“Why panic when Arul Kanda explained 1MDB, whereas the opposition MPs easily make allegations (on 1MDB)...why not give Arul Kanda the opportunity to explain about 1MDB?

“For the record, Arul Kanda went there on a personal basis, Jasa didn’t pay the cost, only the cost of food and beverages, he went on a business trip,” said Jailani.

The Dewan Rakyat will sit again on Monday.—BERNAMA