Free speech decline: I spoke based on facts, Afnan tells PKR Youth leader

PAS Youth chief Afnan Hamimi Taib Azamudden dismissed a PKR Youth leader’s claim that the former was trying to create a perception that the government was trying to silence dissenters.

This came after PKR Youth deputy chief Muhammad Kamil Abdul Munim criticised Afnan (above), who warned Putrajaya that it risked being brought down via street protests.

Afnan said his statement was based on the annual World Press Freedom Index, which showed Malaysia falling in rank this year.

“We were at the 74th place last year, but this year, our ranking declined to 100 something.

“This index itself proves (my point). On top of this, some of our social media influencers were also subjected to hours of questioning (by authorities).

“There are many such cases to prove it. Perhaps the person who said this did not have a TikTok account, that’s why he could not see it,” Afnan told a press conference after the conclusion of PAS Youth’s annual muktamar in Temerloh, Pahang this evening.

In his policy speech this morning, Afnan warned Putrajaya to start heeding its critics or face street protests that can topple the government.

“If you continue to ignore dissent like ‘lembu kenyang’ (a cow that is full), we, the youth, are ready to take it to the streets if we have to, just like what you did before, to bring you down and seize the government from you,” he said.

Following this, Kamil took to X to criticise Afnan, alleging the PAS leader of trying to create a negative perception against the government.

“I ask Afnan to state whose mouths are being shut by the government?” Kamil said when contacted by Malaysiakini to elaborate.

“For your information, while Afnan’s party president himself has no compunctions in labelling government leaders with all kinds of pejoratives and never had his mouth shut, let alone anyone else.

“(PAS president) Abdul Hadi Awang used words like kafir (infidel), devoid of spiritual guidance, dajjal, Zionist agent, and the like.

“Thus, Afnan’s statement is nothing more than an attempt to build the perception that the government is curbing free speech,” said Kamil, who is also Anwar’s political secretary.

He added that everyone must realise freedom of speech does not mean government representatives can be insulted and slandered without consequence.

“I urge PAS Youth to help each other in performing good deeds and righteousness, and not in committing sins and promoting enmity,” he said.

Additional reporting by B NANTHA KUMAR.

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