Human Rights Watch (HRW) said that they believed that the days of free speech suppression would be over with the fall of BN in the 14th general election (GE14).
“But now, with Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, we’re back to square one with more rights abuses taking place and new laws being proposed,” HRW Asia deputy director Phil Robertson said.
Speaking at the launch of the Asean Human Rights Cartoon Exhibition, he said that artists play an important role in holding those in power to account through their work.
“Cartoonists and satirists being investigated illustrate how the present government is attempting to silence critics in the same way a previous one did,” he added.
With cartoonist Zunar under investigation for his cartoon critical of the Kedah government’s Thaipusam cancellation, and Fahmi Reza hauled up for a Spotify playlist allegedly mocking the Raja Permaisuri Agong, he said the new government’s use of the Sedition Act 1948, Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 and similar laws were all too familiar.
“These are the same old rights-abusing laws that are back in operation under another government that doesn’t have a sense of humour and doesn’t understand freedom of expression and human rights,” Robertson said.
This was echoed by opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim, who officiated the launch.
He said cracking down on art that one disagrees with robs a country of its character.
“The cultural vibrancy in the past, from the wayang kulit to the Mak Yong, and the insidious messages and criticism were phenomenal, remarkable. Why must all this be stopped after independence just because you choose to express views against the views of the powers that be?,” the Pakatan Harapan chairman said.
He added that as a politician, he had been targeted by satirists in the past, but had always accepted it.
“Fahmi has tickled me once or twice, but I thought, ‘okay, it’s part of his way of expressing himself’.
“One time when he did, I retweeted it. After all, that makes you reflect and think, and realise that so-called leaders must listen to the criticisms, sentiments and aspirations of the people,” Anwar said.
The Asean Human Rights Cartoon Exhibition can be viewed on www.craftora.com. It features satirists and animators from the Philippines, Thailand, Myanmar, Indonesia and Malaysia.