The Malaysian police recently confiscated a laptop from the website Malaysiakini as part of their ongoing investigation into former Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin. The investigation concerns the minister’s comments regarding a purported royal addendum that could allow former Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak to serve his prison sentence under house arrest. Before it was confiscated, the Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation Department (CID)’s Special Investigation Unit had recorded a statement from Malaysiakini’s executive editor RK Anand. On Tuesday (28 January), Malaysiakini was asked to visit the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) office to allow MCMC to extract details from the portal’s content management system (CMS). Failure to comply would be considered an offence. ARTICLE 19 is deeply concerned that this action constitutes unnecessary harassment of independent media and poses a direct threat to press freedom and freedom of expression in Malaysia.
The confiscation of equipment is a serious infringement of press independence and raises troubling questions about the authorities’ commitment to upholding democratic principles. Malaysiakini, a long-standing independent media outlet, has faced numerous legal challenges and harassment in the past for its critical reporting. Actions like this not only compromise the media’s ability to perform their duties but also risk silencing public discourse and depriving the public of diverse viewpoints.
“Media outlets should be allowed to perform their duties without fear of harassment or retaliation. The seizure of equipment under the guise of police questioning sends a troubling message to the press and undermines essential principles of press freedom. Furthermore, the request for access to the portal’s content management system which may include journalistic sources, is particularly alarming. We have consistently raised our concerns regarding the excessive powers of the MCMC, and this new development is even more worrying and far-reaching.” said Nalini Elumalai, ARTICLE 19’s Senior Malaysia Programme Officer.
This incident is part of a broader and alarming trend in Malaysia, where authorities are increasingly using vague and disproportionate laws and tactics to intimidate and silence critics. Such practices contradict protections enshrined in Article 10 of the Federal Constitution and international human rights law and standards, including Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which guarantee freedom of expression. The Malaysian government’s continued reliance on these measures undermines its commitments to democratic reforms and places it at odds with global press freedom and human rights norms.
“We urge the police and MCMC to immediately cease all forms of intimidation against Malaysiakini. Intimidation targeting journalists and media only serves to undermine public trust in the authorities and stifles democracy. Media freedom is essential for ensuring transparency, accountability, and the public’s right to know,” Nalini added.
For more information
Nalini Elumalai, Senior Malaysia Programme Officer [email protected].