Anifah slams Sarawak Report article: Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Anifah Aman has issued a strong rebuttal to an article in Sarawak Report.
In a statement on Sunday, Anifah explained that the article, titled “UK calls on Malaysia to accept election monitoring and condemns fake news and boundary law” tries to take advantage of Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak’s non-appearance at the ongoing Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM).
The article claimed that Malaysia has ruled itself out from assuming the chairmanship of the Commonwealth in 2020.
“Let me underscore a point that is evident to all, no sane political leader in a democratic society will leave their countries less than three weeks before general election, for any meeting abroad,” Anifah said.
As for hosting the CHOGM in 2020, Anifah clarified that as Malaysia is to host the Apec Summit and its related meetings that year, Malaysia stepped aside willingly with the preference of hosting CHOGM in the future.
Much was made of the responses given by the British Minister of State for Asia and the Pacific, Mark Field, to its parliament on matters such as the Anti-Fake News Act and the redelineation of the electoral boundaries, as well as the role of external election monitors.
Anifah pointed out the Act was supported by 123 Members of Parliament, including 10 from the Opposition, with 64 voting against.
“This shows that while the preponderance of the duly-elected representatives of the people believe in the importance of the right to freedom of expression, there must be limits on this right and that it should not be abused to spread fake or unverified news,” he said.
As the last redelineation exercise was held 15 years ago, Anifah said the EC was merely carrying out its constitutional responsibility to review and recommend changes to ensure balanced populations between constituencies.
He said contrary to the Sarawak Report‘s claim that Najib has consistently refused to allow external observers, the EC has invited observers from 14 countries.
The article said Field was concerned about how the Anti-Fake News Act was passed, and Anifah hoped he could clarify the following statement, which the portal alleged he made: “We are monitoring developments closely, working with EU and other foreign partners and stand ready to make any necessary representations”.
If the statement was indeed made, Anifah had the following to say to Field and others of the same mind.
“Malaysian democracy is to be monitored by the Malaysian electorate, and the Malaysian electorate alone. To assume that anyone else has the right, ability and competence is an insult to each and every Malaysian voter. In Malaysia, as in other democracy, the will of the voter is supreme,” said Anifah.
If the Sarawak Report and the West chooses to believe otherwise, he added, they are entitled to their own opinion.
“But I choose to believe in the inherent intelligence and good sense in the average Malaysian voter in my constituency of Kimanis and elsewhere.
“And that on May 9, these attributes will lead them to again to support Barisan Nasional as their choice of government,” he concluded.
Whilst pouring out a string of varying excuses, the timber tycoon foreign minister has kindly confirmed every point of Sarawak Report’s newsbreaking story, published Friday.
Malaysia HAS stepped down as Chair of CHOGM 2020; Najib DID make a last minute decision not to join the Commonwealth Heads of Government and the UK’s foreign minister DID visit KL the previous week and then express concerns about the conduct of the election and ‘Fake News’ law,
As for Malaysia accepting external monitors, the minister entirely contradicts himself during the same remarks. On the one hand he claims SR is wrong to say Najib has resisted monitoring and there WILL be external monitors in the election, from 14 countries, but on the other hand he thunders:
“Malaysian democracy is to be monitored by the Malaysian electorate, and the Malaysian electorate alone. To assume that anyone else has the right, ability and competence is an insult to each and every Malaysian voter.”
Which is it? Certainly, Najib is on record saying “The chances of cheating are non-existent..They (PH) had to complain to foreign powers so that the end result can be questioned. They just want to raise controversy,”
So, will the minister be taking the next step of prosecuting Sarawak Report for ‘Fake News’ on the grounds that although each and every point of our report is now conceded to be true, he reckons that it casts an ‘untrue’ negative interpretation over the actions of his boss?
Probably not on this occasion, since the minister appears to admit that Sarawak Report is backed by “the West” in opposing BN’s approach to these matters, which would make quite a hefty case for the prosecution to undertake. What he actually says is remarkable:
“If the Sarawak Report and the West chooses to believe otherwise, they are entitled to their own opinion” is what he told The Star.
So, there we have it! If we are entitled to our opinions what is the point of all this nonsense about ‘Fake News’ and his own pompous claims that BN is entitled to limit the public’s right to free expression?
It seems BN are not just falling apart as a coherent voice, but its individual leaders are falling apart as well, saying one thing one moment and another the next as they struggle to justify the unjustifiable actions of the kleptocrat in charge.
The judges may choose to cancel this bonkers party for being illegal. Voters must surely vote it out as unfit to govern?