Dr M slams handcuffed editor while high-profile convicts ‘strut freely’

Former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad slammed the handcuffing of an editor when being charged with criminal defamation while other high-profile convicted criminals are allowed to “strut around freely”.

Though he did not mention names, it is believed that he is referring to convicted former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak, who had earlier today sought the court’s permission to attend Parliament as the Pekan MP.

Mahathir said charging The Edge publication’s former editor-in-chief Ahmad Azam Mohd Aris with criminal defamation has set back efforts to promote the freedom of the press.

“Such action only serves to further erode our freedom of the press ratings, which had taken a major dip in the past two years.

“What makes it worse is that the handcuffing of an editor sends a very wrong signal to the nation about our justice system and rule of law when other high-profile criminals who had even been convicted can strut around freely, without handcuffs and even allowed to attend parliamentary sessions.

“Though the two cases are different, the principle of justice and fairness should apply equally,” Mahathir said in a statement today.

On Sept 13, Ahmad Azam was charged under Section 500 of the Penal Code for criminal defamation over two news reports published on the penny stock surge in 2020.

Section 500 carries imprisonment for up to two years, a fine, or both.

The two news reports dated Sept 21, 2020, and April 12, 2021, had named individuals who were allegedly involved in manipulating penny stocks on Bursa Malaysia.

In his statement today, Mahathir said he was very disturbed by the criminal defamation charges brought against Ahmad Azam.

“If there is no truth to what had been reported, the person or companies that felt they had been wronged should have sued the editor and the publication for defamation,” he said, adding that is the norm for handling disputes involving media reports.

It is also baffling that the public prosecutor’s office initiated criminal charges against the editor when the reports alleged that a crime had been committed with regard to the penny stocks on Bursa Malaysia, Mahathir said.

“By any logic, the investigation should be directed at the people alleged to have committed the crime.

“Otherwise, let those accused (in the reports) take civil action against the publication,” he said.

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