Update: Pak Bakaq was released on police bail at about 5pm on August 8. He was not charged for any offence.

The Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ) condemns the police arrest of blogger Abdul Rashid Abu Bakar, owner of the blog penarik beca (trishaw peddler), under the broadly worded Sedition Act, which gives the state a free hand in punishing any form of expression. Seen from the frequency with which the Sedition Act is being invoked against bloggers, this law is clearly the preferred instrument to punish and harass bloggers who are being critical against the state institutions and personalities.

Police arrested blogger Abdul Rashid Abu Bakar, known as Pak Bakaq in his blog, late in the evening of August 7, at the blogger's home and confiscated his computer in a raid. Abdul Rashid is now being remanded in the Bukit Aman police headquarters in the capital city since his arrest.

When contacted by CIJ, the coordinator of the case, DSP Victor Sanjos of the Commercial Crime Unit, said Abdul Rashid was detained for publishing in his blog a digitally manipulated image of the police insignia, deemed to be "insulting" to the police force. Included in Abdul Rashid's version were modifications substituting the head of a tiger for that of a dog, the jawi script of "Allah" and "Muhammad" for "C4" (the explosive used in the murder of the Mongolian Altantuya Shaariibuu), and the word "Malaysia" for "Israel". In addition to this charge, Abdul Rashid is also being detained for alleging in his blog business connections between the force and triad society.

The officer did not specify when and whether or not Abdul Rashid will be formally charged.

On May 6, blogger Raja Petra Kamaruddin of the Malaysia Today was charged with Sedition Act over a posting on the murder of the Mongolian Altantuya Shaariibuu. He was later additionally charged under criminal defamation for his statutory declaration on the same subject on July 17.

The invoking of Sedition Act and criminal laws aimed at criminalizing freedom of expression send a chilling effect to other bloggers and writers. It takes away the room for the public to express critical opinion in any form on the state institutions and key personnels. The broad discretion afforded to the police under the law also makes it convenient for the police, or any other state institution, to eliminate public scrutiny by criminalizing this critical behaviour. This goes against democratic practices in which public institutions are subject to the public check and scrutiny.

CIJ calls on the police to immediately release Abdul Rashid and drop all charges against him. We urge the government to repeal the Sedition Act which has been used against critics under the pretext of protecting national security. There are laws in place, such as those aimed at deterring incitement and hate speech, that sufficiently serve the purpose of maintaining national order and harmony.

The Centre for Independent Journalism, Malaysia (CIJ) aspires for a society that is democratic, just and free, where all people enjoy free media and the freedom to express, seek, and impart information.

Ends

Issued by
Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ)

For more information, please contact Yip Wai Fong at 03 40230772