Freedom of speech not to be abused, says minister Fahmi Fadzil

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Communications minister Fahmi Fadzil has reportedly warned against abusing the freedom of speech in Malaysia by making unfounded allegations or statements that can threaten a country’s democracy.

Through the creation of various content on social media such as TikTok, those with opposing views are free to state their opinion, minister Fahmi said.

Don't miss: No decision yet on Najib Razak's 'Man on the Run' request, says Fahmi Fadzil

While he stressed that freedom of speech remains healthy in Malaysia and continues to be prioritised, he also said that this freedom does not give individuals the freedom to slander, as reported by The Star.

Minister Fahmi’s statements were in response to a statement made by the former chairman of the Coalition for Clean and Fair Election, Ambiga Sreenevasan. Sreenevasan who reportedly called on the unity government to prioritise fundamental rights that include freedom of speech and the existence of the Sedition Act.

The right to speak is currently limited by exiting laws and the Sedition Act will only used for isolated cases that may impact the royal institution or threaten democracy, minister Fahmi added.

As Malaysia is embroiled in how stringent it should be on its freedom of speech, eyes are on minister Fahmi’s decision regarding a request by former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to remove the Man on the Run documentary on Netflix.

Man on the Run is a 98-minute documentary film currently airing on Netflix. It revolves around the ongoing 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) scandal and features interviews with politicians and personalities including Najib himself.

Fahmi said that some initial views have been conveyed by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), but more consideration must be made based on the law because it involves a court case.

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