Ban is just side-tracking from issue, says Rafidah
Published on: Monday, July 27, 2015
Selangor: Banning publications is side-tracking from the real issues and will only make the people even more upset with the government, former minister Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz said, following the suspension of The Edge Financial Daily and The Edge Weekly.In a Facebook post, the former international trade and industry minister and Wanita Umno head said the word "ban" should be deleted from the Malaysian "political vocabulary".She said while freedom of speech must have parameters determined by factors such as decency, respect for the religious beliefs of others and rights of the majority, it was important that the media was not unduly penalised, not for going beyond those parameters, but for reporting what some determine to be unsavoury. "Surely we are not going the way of some countries where the media is directed what to write?"
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She said that those responsible must start providing facts to the public regarding the debt-ridden state investment firm 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB)."Again we are being side-tracked from the real issues at hand."We can ban some publications, but that will not solve anything, really. If at all, it is making people even more upset."Worse still, there is now another grouse against the government, for nothing," she said. Rafidah said communication on social media would continue regardless of any ban, adding that such bans would only provide a new topic for the public to "discuss and condemn".
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"Don't tell me we now must shut down the Internet? Too many cooks spoil the broth." The Edge was accused of publishing articles on the state fund which were said to have created confusion and doubt about the Malaysian government and financial institutions.Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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He has not addressed this claim directly but only denied taking funds for "personal gain".
