The Malaysian government’s clampdown on free expression online using the Communications and Multimedia Act compelled documentary filmmaker and journalist Yihwen Chen to make ‘The Offensive Internet’.
We appeal to Finas to stay true to its role of “uplifting, nurturing and facilitating” the development of the Malaysian film industry, as stated in Section 6 (1) of the Finas Act, and not function against the interest of filmmakers. If Finas enforces regulations under the law to censor and penalise filmmakers, it will go against its own objective and purpose.
The military strategy to fight the AA and other rebel groups in the country can be summarized into cutting off four key areas: recruitment, food, budget, and information. The fourth part, information, means to censor news and media about the Arakan conflicts.
May 3 marks World Press Freedom Day, a day to commemorate the importance of freedom of the press. This year’s theme, “journalism without fear or favour”, is particularly apt considering the world today, when reporting on the coronavirus has become “the new scapegoat for media censorship”.
On the evening of April 22, 2020, researcher Ravio Patra was arrested in Jakarta, Indonesia, not long after an attempt to protect his safety due to a WhatsApp privacy breach. His work has captured the interest of many, notably his most recent critique on the sparse handling of COVID-19 by the Jokowi administration.
