Press Statement By DAP Secretary-General And MP For Bagan Lim Guan Eng In Kuala Lumpur On 28.7.2013
DAP will oppose any action by the BN Federal Government to restrict usage of the internet because this is a selfish attempt against knowledge and to undermine freedom of information so as to perpetuate BN’s continued hold on power. Communications and Multimedia Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Shabery Cheek said internet misuse due to the liberty given in Malaysia has reached a critical level and his ministry would not hesitate to revise internet facilities and access.
This desperate attempt to maintain the status quo will not succeed because the people has spoken in the 13th General Elections by giving PR a popular mandate of 51% of the votes, causing BN to lose the popular vote for the first time in history since 1957. Further, this violates BN’s own Bill of Guarantees to Multimedia Supercorridor of no internet censorship.
Is this another failure of BN policy following the abandonment of national reconciliation and 1Malaysia? The double-standards and selective prosecution of punishing only those who attacked Muslim sensitivities but not when non-Muslims are attacked is now followed by attacking internet usage.
Such language against internet and social media by BN is no different from autocratic dictators desperately trying to cling on to power. How can internet bans help to prevent confusion that may arise as a result of internet defamation as mentioned by Ahmad, especially when there are double-standards again in punishing only opponents of BN but not when PR leaders are clearly defamed.
Clearly BN does not understand the yearnings of the people for truth and freedom and quest for knowledge unfiltered by propaganda, racism and extremist ideologies. BN sees internet as a threat because the freedom and truth in internet allows lies, hate and fear to be quickly exposed. For example, BN’s lies that my underaged son had sexually molested his female classmate was quickly exposed as malicious lie when the internet identified the alleged victim’s photo as a Hong Kong chess grandmaster who had never been to Penang and never met me or my son.
Is this what BN is fearful of that their lies, hatred and corruption will be exposed with internet freedom?
—–Mandarin Version —-
民主行动党秘书长兼峇眼区国会议员林冠英于2013年7月28日在吉隆坡发表声明：
行动党将会反对国阵联邦政府任何限制使用网络的行动，这种自私的做法是为了阻碍知识流通、破坏资讯自由，好让国阵继续掌权。资讯及多媒体部长拿督斯里阿末沙比里说由于我国太过自由，导致网络被滥用的程度已经到达危急水平，他的部门将毫不犹豫地检讨网络设备及通路。
这种不顾一切以维持政权的做法不会成功，因为人们已经在第13届大选给予民联51%的支持率，导致国阵自1957年以来，第一次输掉多数票。再说，这也违背了国阵自己对多媒体走廊所做的保证，那就是不审核网络。
这又是国阵摒弃国民和解及一个马来西亚以后的另一项失败政策？他们总是双重标准及选择性检控，只惩罚那些触碰穆斯林敏感神经的人士，但是非穆斯林被攻击时却无动于衷？现在还选择对付网络使用。
国阵要对付网络及社交媒体的言论与独裁政府独裁者急于维护政权的做法一样。网络禁令如何能够阻止阿末所说的由网络诽谤言论所导致的混淆？特别是当局实施双重标准，只惩罚国阵的敌对方，但是当民联领袖被诬蔑时，却没有人被对付。
很明显地，国阵不明白人民对真理及自由的渴望，以及未经宣传、种族主义及极端意识形态过滤的知识搜索。国阵把网络当时一种威胁，因为网络的自由及真相让谎言、憎恨及恐惧无所遁形。例如：国阵以恶毒的谎言诬蔑我的未成年儿子时，很快地我们从网络搜寻到所谓“受害者”的照处，她其实是香港西洋棋高手，从来没有到过槟城、没有见过我，也没见过我的儿子。
难道国阵就如此害怕他们的谎言、仇恨及贪污会被网络自由所揭发？
林冠英