The media’s protest against the arrest of The Malaysian Insider editors has found a staunch supporter in PKR secretary-general Rafizi Ramli.

In fact, Rafizi said free media is even “more important than defending a politician in prison”.

The Pandan MP said this at the Parliament lobby when asked who will be the next Opposition Leader, now that the Pardons Board has dismissed Anwar’s family’s application for a royal pardon.

Instead of addressing the question, Rafizi (middle in photo) brushed it aside by saying that the more crucial thing at hand today is the attack on press freedom.

"Let’s cross the bridge when we are there. I mean there are so many other issues. Let’s face, um, your friends, reporters being clamped down instead of indulging in speculation."

"Can I have a ribbon as well?" he asked, bringing attention to the yellow ribbons many reporters covering Parliament proceedings today wore to protest the arrests.

He then went on to say that politicians and members of Parliament cannot do their jobs without free media.

"I think defending a free media and reporters is even more important than defending a politician in prison, because without you guys, there is nothing that we can do," he said.

Rafizi said this before speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia’s statement declaring the Permatang Pauh seat vacant .

Anwar’s family disputes the Pardons Board dismissal because the rejection letter did not come from the palace but through an affidavit from a senior federal counsel presented to the High Court. Anwar is serving a five-year jail sentence.

Many journalists in Parliament today donned black to condemn the arrests while about 50 held a vigil outside the Dang Wangi police district headquarters last night where the TMI editors were held.

They were arrested under the Sedition Act and the Communications and Multimedia Act over an article alleging that the Conference of Rulers rejected the implementation of hudud.

The keeper of the rulers’ seal denied this.

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