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Malaysia's New Government Cracks Down on Critics

Zsombor Peter

   KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA - A wave of criminal charges and police probes
   targeting critics of Malaysia's embattled new government has rights
   groups worried the country is backsliding on free speech protections
   following the brief spell of a reform-minded administration.

   They say at least eight people have been charged or summoned for
   questioning for critical social media posts about the government,
   police or royals since May 6, including opposition lawmakers,
   journalists and the head of a clean government watchdog group.

   "We are beginning to see a reverting to the old government ways where
   not only were people called in for questioning -- people are now
   getting charged and brought to court," said Thomas Fann, chairman of
   the local pro-democracy group Bersih.

   "They want to send a very strong message that they won't be tolerant of
   any sort of dissent against them," he said.

   Malaysia's long-ruling and corruption-mired Barisan National government
   was toppled in a 2018 general election that ushered in a reformist
   coalition led by former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad. But the
   coalition collapsed this past February when breakaway lawmakers joined
   forces with the lead party of the previous government, setting off a
   leadership tussle that saw Malaysia's king name one of the defectors,
   Muhyiddin Yassin, the new prime minister.

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