#AtTheEdge: 300 Journalists, Activists March Against Putrajaya's Attacks On Media Freedom
All the photos you need to see from the #808 protest that received bi-partisan support from political parties in support of the freedom of media in Malaysia.
By Sadho Ram — 08 Aug 2015, 06:47 PM
To protest against Putrajaya's attempt to clamp down the media freedom in Malaysia by suspending The Edge Weekly and The Edge Financial Daily, and blocking Sarawak Report in Malaysia over their reports on the debt-ridden 1MDB, hundreds of media practitioners and democracy activists rallied today, 8 August, at KL's Central Market before marching to the Bar Council office in Leboh Pasar
Holding placards and shouting slogans of solidarity in support of free media, the protesters demanded that the access to Sarawak Report's website be restored and asked that the government should stop any further effort to impose more restrictions on the Internet
According to The Malaysian Insider:
Among the personalities seen participating were former Bar Council president and human rights activist Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan and Lawyers for Liberty executive director Eric Paulsen.
Participants dressed in blue and black, the colour theme to signify the "bruising" of media through attacks on press freedom, freedom of expression and the people's right to information.
The procession was helmed by Malaysiakini editor Fathi Aris Omar who led the crowd in chanting "Bebas media" (Free the media) and "Jangan takut lapor 1MDB" (Don't be afraid to report on 1MDB).
themalaysianinsider.com
Boo Su-Lyn, spokesperson for Coalition for Press Freedom, said:
As a journalist, I’m angry that The Edge was suspended because their reports painted the government in a bad light.
It’s a stupid reason to suspend a paper because the job of journalists is not to please people. Our job is to report facts.
To quote George Orwell, 'Journalism is printing what someone else does not want printed. Everything else is public relations'.
The hour-long protest ended peacefully with little sign of police as protesters walked about with banners and placards. Previously, organisers of the walk, the Coalition for Press Freedom (CPF), had met with police and obtained the green light for the rally.
Among attendees was former Umno deputy minister Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah, who said the freedom of the press was integral for the public to make informed decisions. “Why did they suspend The Edge and Financial Daily? Do you know why?” He asked the crowd.
themalaymailonline.com
Saifuddin in a short speech said The Edge and website Sarawak Report, which had also carried exposes on 1MDB, were being punished for seeking the truth. Saifuddin also said that writers and journalists did not use violent means and should not be made the enemy.
"Were they violent? Were they opposing the constitution? Writers are the most peaceful people in the world because they sit at their tables and write. They write peacefully. They are not doing anything against the constitution," he said.
themalaysianinsider.com
Also lending her voice in support was former Bar president Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan, who warned the authorities will not be able to suppress the “truth” despite their ability to suspend newspapers.
“This is what raw power and an abuse of power looks like. We must never return to this dark period that we are facing now,” she said.
“The truth is always articulate. It does not speak with forked tongue. It does not need to arrest, it only needs to be told,” she added.
themalaymailonline.com
