Is govt trying to hide something, MCA asks over AGC's gag order bid

Summary

• MCA vice-president Lawrence Low asks if the government is trying to hide something over the Attorney-General’s Chambers’ application for a gag order on discussing Najib Abdul Razak’s royal addendum issue.

• He also says move runs contrary to the government’s previous stand in championing transparency.

• Low adds any attempt to muzzle the people’s voices would eventually backfire.

With the Attorney-General’s Chambers applying for a gag order on discussing former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak’s royal addendum issue, an MCA leader questioned if the government is trying to hide something.

Calling it an affront to freedom of speech, MCA vice-president Lawrence Low said the move runs contrary to the government’s previous stand in championing transparency.

“The royal addendum has become a matter of public interest, which also involves our judiciary and the government’s integrity.

“This gag order application seems to imply that the government is trying to hide something in the name of ‘sensitivity’,” Low (above) said in a statement today.

AGC also seeking protection order

On Jan 13, Najib’s counsel informed that the AGC is seeking a gag order from the Kuala Lumpur High Court on the addendum issue.

Muhammad Farhan Muhammad Shafee confirmed that the AGC notified this during case management before judge Hayatul Akmal Abdul Aziz.

“They (AGC) would be filing an application for protective order and gag order,” Farhan said.

Yesterday, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Azalina Othman Said said there shouldn’t be a gag order on Najib’s royal pardon judicial review.

Low chastised the government on the gag order application, reminding Putrajaya that any effort to muzzle the people’s voice would go against the Madani principles.

“Is the government that afraid of the people’s opinions that it had to resort to this? We need public scrutiny to ensure the integrity of the government and the judicial system.

“MCA always respects the court’s decisions and the government’s move to muzzle the rakyat’s voices would eventually backfire,” Low added.

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