The federal government's call for control over the use of social media during the coming general election, which must be held by June this year, has been strongly condemned by DAP Socialist Youth (Dapsy).

"BN is copying what authoritarian regimes do in their last days," Dapsy national political education director Steven Sim said today.

Sim was referring to the government's statement in Penang last week that the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) is looking into monitoring and controlling the use of the social media during the 13th general election.

australian councillors on psm six 240711 steven sim

"We deem such statement as outdated, dangerous and anti-democratic and one that reflects the approach of an authoritarian regime that is desperate to prolong its rule," said Sim ( right ), who is also a Seberang Perai municipal councillor.

"The move to control the people's voices has been the nature of dictatorial governments, especially in their last days in power, from Hitler in wartime Germany to Hosni Mubarak and Muammar Gaddafi in modern times," Sim added.

"There are sufficient laws in the country to deal with cheating and other abuses of public trust, thus the statement by Deputy Information, Communications and Culture Minister Maglin Dennis D'Cruz is malicious and prejudicious to the people's voices," he said.

Election integrity pledge signing a 'sandiwara'

Sim said this was yet another proof that the recent signing of Transparency International-Malaysia's Election Integrity Pledge by Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak was just meaningless ‘sandiwara' (theatrics).

He urged the BN led by Umno to commit itself to free and fair elections to ensure that Malaysians would be able to elect the government of their choice.

He also called on Najib to censure such "undemocratic" statements from his administration officers and to guarantee freedom of expression, particularly during the GE13 campaign period.

"We strongly demand that the prime minister and the federal government uphold the eight demands of Bersih," said Sim, who is also Penang Dapsy publicity secretary.

The demands include the electoral roll clean-up, reform of postal balloting, use of indelible ink, the provision of a minimum 21 days campaign period, free and fair access to all media, strengthening of public institutions to act independently and impartially, an end to corruption and to stop dirty politics.