FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PRESS STATEMENT
It is no surprise that the government chose to block the whistleblower Sarawak Report website, only to unblock the website later.
Such a move can only be seen as an attempt to prevent the truth from emerging, whilst 1MDB remains a major national scandal this Hari Raya.
The severity of the 1MDB saga is made more compelling because the Sarawak Report expose echoes documents sighted on the WSJ, The Edge and perhaps disclosure through the AGs interim report on 1MDB investigations, which to date has not been made public.
The trinity of evidence unearthed begs a clear explanation by the PM. But short of his clarification seeking from the WSJ – Malaysians are faced with total silence by the number one man in the country.
Why hasn’t the Prime Minister sued the WSJ, if the facts reported by the media outlet is false?
Take note that the Prime Minister so far has not denied that the money was transferred into his account. Why hasn’t the Prime Minister explained how such a huge sum could find its way into his personal account?
Investigative journalism forms the basis of a strong fourth estate. I’m a strong advocate of this function. An independent media functions as a check on government’s excesses. The media holds a pivotal role in maintaining proper separation of power in any democracy.
Blocking Sarawak Report goes against these very principles. The recent unblocking of this whistleblower site is an indication that this decision was hastily made and without any merit.
Only in cases of incitement to violence should any information be blocked from public view.
The PM cannot escape full accountability to the public.
The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC)’s excuse of protecting national security by blocking Sarawak Report flies in the face of its responsibility to prioritize the nation against persons and individuals with vested interest.
Instead, National security calls for an answer as to how the Prime Minister can gain personal access to such an amount.
National security mandates protection of national funds from excesses made by errant and irresponsible investments – no matter if government supported or led. Heads should roll in the event persons are responsible for abusing public monies – no matter how high up their office may be.
National security depends on protecting the fourth estate; whistleblowers and the people – against the selfish individual interests of persons holding high office. Malaysia’s future must never be predicated on the survival of an individual or a party.
National security should not be a blanket excuse for every decision that is made by the government, including the recent scandal which found various Malaysian government agencies, including the Prime Minister’s Office utilizing a hacking software to spy on its citizens. Malaysians are faced with the twin predicament of a government that lacks accountability; and one that finds it fitting to spy on its citizens.
We make the following demands:
- The PMO must immediately respond to these hacking allegations.
- The MCMC must immediately cease the usage of internet censorship to stifle criticisms against the government and focus on its own promulgated Multimedia Super Corridor bill of guarantee – which is to ensure no censorship of the Internet.
- The government must also, in turn provide answers to pressing questions of national interest – beginning with public disclosure of the AGs interim report on 1MDB. The 1MDB scandal has been dragged on long enough.
- The Attorney General must move to charge involved perpetrators / personalities , instead of dragging his feet – leaving room and space for bogus conspiracy theorists to rise to the fore and deflect focus from the almost RM2.6 billion (out of the RM42 billion) money trail.
NURUL IZZAH ANWAR
Lembah Pantai Member of Parliament
KEADILAN Vice President and Elections Director
