ALOR STAR – Police should spend more time fighting the pandemic rather than detaining netizens who are angry with Kedah Menteri Besar Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor over his remark on freezer containers used for those who died due to Covid-19, the state DAP Youth said today.
Its head Tan Kim Ping said that the wing is shocked to see people being picked up and detained by police for allegedly defaming Sanusi.
He said every leader is now subjected to harsh criticism as people are burdened by the pandemic, which has drained their personal resources.
“We are of the opinion that it is a waste of time to detain and investigate such individuals, especially when the daily Covid-19 cases in Kedah have exceeded 2,000.”
The state now is the third-highest infected in the country behind Selangor and the Kuala Lumpur in the past three weeks.
Sanusi recently apologised over a “joke” he made on freezer containers for Covid-19 victims after facing fierce public backlash. He said he was only joking with media “friends” when he made the comment on August 6.
As of August 10, four people were reported to have been detained for investigations after they allegedly made insulting or threatening remarks towards Sanusi on social media.
Police have taken in an IT analyst, a 45-year-old trader, a 52-year-old contractor and a 61-year-old retiree.
Lawyers have criticised the arrests as a “witch hunt”.
Tan said that the issue surfaced because netizens remain angry with the remark passed by Sanusi although he had apologised and insisted that it was humour directed at the media whom he regards as family.
As a leader, Sanusi should adopt an open mind and allow dissent as some of it can help him become a better leader, said Tan in a statement.
“Do not use police to harass the citizenry. Sanusi should also place priority on saving lives and the economy, instead of using his personal distrust of netizens to distract the people from the failures of Perikatan Nasional’s management of the pandemic."
DAP Youth hopes police will apply their best discretion to this matter and stop detaining people just because they are critical of the government.
“Those now under detention need to be released, too.”
Freedom of expression is protected under the federal constitution, said Tan. – The Vibes, August 13, 2021
