Blow for press freedom as Edge CEO, TMI editors arrested

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Update: Lionel Morais, Amin Shah Iskandar and Zulkifli Sulong were released this evening after the police failed to secure remand. Release Kay Tat and Jahabar as well!

The arrests of The Edge CEO Ho Kay Tat and TMI chief editor Jahabar Sadiq this morning, along with three other TMI editors – Lionel Morais, Amin Shah Iskandar and Zulkifli Sulong – is deeply disturbing.

This is not a step formard, but a step backwards to the dark days post-Ops Lalang, when The Star and a couple of other papers were effective muzzled.

Where will this all end? How many more arrests?

At a time when we need a honest and frank assessment and discussion of the critical issues (the national, federak and household debt, the weaker ringgit, the Prevention of Terorrism Act bill and the GST), the scope for dissenting views if is being restricted by the day.

Whither media freedom in Malaysia?

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calvinsankaran
1 Apr 2015 4.23pm

This is a dangerous and regressive move. Hope the outrage over the issue will force the govt to refrain from similar actions in the future.

However, Citizen Nades is wrong to claim “honest journalism”. TMI never been a “news organization” but a propaganda organization. However I completely disagree on jailing journalists even when they spin or lie.

bigjoe99
1 Apr 2015 10.29am

When the story first broke, it sounded fishy in the first place. … Its more likely that somone planted the story in the first place to trap them. The TMI staff responsible for the story deserved to be fired NOT arrested.

Phua Kai Lit
Phua Kai Lit
1 Apr 2015 7.49am

End up looking foolish when people are arrested using flimsy excuses and the courts order them to be
released immediately. Ever heard of “public relations” and “winning hearts and minds” ?

Simon says
Simon says
3 Apr 2015 10.41am
Reply to  Phua Kai Lit
iSupercally
iSupercally
3 Apr 2015 4.24pm
Reply to  Simon says

Reporting wrongly is different from reporting lies and deceit. Can you trust a Myamar newspaper. Better ask the paper to report more of its govt.

Yang
Yang
1 Apr 2015 4.45am

The press is not for you to lie

Qsurvey
Qsurvey
31 Mar 2015 5.31pm

That will make Malaysia a police state and FDI will slowly and surely slip away !

iSupercally
iSupercally
31 Mar 2015 3.58pm

The pen is mightier than the sword. If use without care it could destroy the country and the people will suffer the consequence of it. The police must nip it in the bud before it get out of hand.

Ed G
Ed G
2 Apr 2015 10.49am
Reply to  iSupercally

If this were to be the case, what is your take on the Utusan Malaysia which has been proven to have published lies and falsehood for countless of times in lawsuits initiated against it and its personnel? Shouldn’t its journalists or editors be accorded with the same treatment under the law as those of the TMI and the Edge? On another note, why is there a seemingly disinterest by the police pertaining to the racial/religious incitements by the likes of Ismail Sabri Yaakob and Mashitah Ibrahim? Or more interestingly, has any serious chaos, unrest or anarchy arise due to all… Read more »

segar
segar
31 Mar 2015 12.16pm

Are we heading towards a police state, besides a GST state?

jojo
jojo
31 Mar 2015 11.32am

No wonder nowadays less comments in anilnetto.com?

Maybe home ministry only encourage readers to talk about street food not street sentiments?