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As the media is banned from further covering Najib’s bid to seek house arrest for the remainder of his sentence, this challenges Article 10 of the Federal Constitution which stipulates that everyone has the right to “freedom of speech and expression”, suppressing the freedom of the press.
I am shocked and surprised by the High Court’s decision as this would only raise more suspicions as to the extent of this case’s secrets that the public is unaware of. They would perceive that the law favours the privileged and powerful.
Najib’s cases of misappropriating funds are of public interest as his crimes have contributed to the deteriorating state of Malaysia’s economy as well as its reputation.
According to Malay Mail, the Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ) mentioned that the public has the right to information in an “open, transparent and timely manner”. This is pivotal as it gives the public a sense of hope that the judiciary in Malaysia is indeed integral towards upholding the law and bringing those regardless of power to justice.
The reasoning behind the High Court’s decision, however, is vague. It is said that the case involves “sensitive materials” that should be hidden from the public. What’s worse is that there is no communication from the current government; the public are left with a guessing game on said decision.
As a result, everyone will be slowly losing trust in the current government due to its weak integrity and stance on corruption as championed by Pakatan Harapan. The silent treatment by the government leaves voters estranged, making them feel betrayed and perceive that those in power are just like past politicians – all talk and no walk.
As the freedom of the press continues to be suppressed, this further diminishes the public’s hopes of having a competent government to lead the country to greater heights.
Ng Zhen Hao is a content creator under the Newswav Creator programme, where you get to express yourself, be a citizen journalist, and at the same time monetize your content & reach millions of users on Newswav. Log in to creator.newswav.com and become a Newswav Creator now!
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