Backsliding in Burma and Malaysia?
(The Diplomat) – Reporters San Frontiers (RSF) said it was disturbed to learn that the well-known Malaysian blogger Syed Abdullah Hussein Al-Attas is being held under the Official Secrets Act following complaints by 30 people about controversial posts which were apparently unflattering about the Sultan of Johor.
Malaysia and Burma remain poles apart in most aspects of life—religion, ethnicity, and politics—but where they seem more akin in recent times has been in trying to improve relations with the West while introducing much needed reforms at home.
Those reforms have been welcomed by the people of both countries and the international community but it remains a difficult process with Malaysia again raising fears of a revival of media oppression and Burma living up to its past with the detention of political activists.
Reporters San Frontiers (RSF) said it was disturbed to learn that the well-known Malaysian blogger Syed Abdullah Hussein Al-Attas is being held under the Official Secrets Act following complaints by 30 people about controversial posts which were apparently unflattering about the Sultan of Johor. [Read at: http://en.rsf.org/malaisie-blogger-held-under-draconian-05-07-2012,42967.html]
Another woman, who was with him, is also being held.
The posts about the Crown Prince of Johor Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim have been described as provocative, insulting and seditious. There were also claims that confidential documents were posted by Syed Abdullah, whose followers say he enjoys paranormal powers.
“Syed Abdullah’s arrest is unacceptable,” RSF said. “Why was the complaint filed by 30 people and not the person targeted in the posts? Why did the authorities think it was necessary to detain two people because of what appears in reality to be nothing more than an ordinary defamation suit?”
Read more at: http://thediplomat.com/asean-beat/2012/07/10/backsliding-in-burma-and-malaysia/
