COMMENT | Freedom of speech is in the news.

Contending coalitions, Pakatan Harapan and Perikatan Nasional (PN), are jousting over what is permissible and what is not under a concept which Harapan at least has pledged to defend in its manifesto.

Of course, it is easier to talk about principles than to live up to them.

PKR communications chief Fahmi Fadzil is being asked to live the talk about defending freedom of speech found in Harapan’s GE15 manifesto.

Fahmi is accused of going against the spirit of that talk and that pledge to defend freedom of speech by his calling for police action against the PN candidate in the Padang Serai by-election on Dec 7.

Azman Nasrudin had denounced the Harapan-BN federal government as an “adulterous” (kerajaan zina) one in a campaign pronouncement which drew the ire of Harapan.

Azman would later soften the impact of his statement by admitting he may have gone...