Does the Pahang govt fear criticism?

Does the Pahang govt fear criticism?

The Pahang government does not deserve an apology from Shariffa Sabrina Syed Akil, the president of Pertubuhan Pelindung Khazanah Alam Malaysia (Peka). Nor does it deserve RM1 million in compensation, which the state has demanded from her.

Shariffa Sabrina had criticised the recent logging activities in the state on her Facebook posts and during an interview with Sinar Harian in her capacity as the president of Peka, the NGO which deals with environmental issues and the welfare of the Orang Asli.

One would have thought that the state would want to interact and engage with an NGO that deals with the environment. Shariffa Sabrina had every right to highlight and find solutions to the problems faced. Instead, she found herself facing a possible lawsuit.

If the state government punishes every citizen who criticises it, there will soon come a time when no one would dare to complain about such issues as poor services, shoddy workmanship, thefts, absenteeism, poor work culture, and racism at the workplace.

Is this the ultimate aim of the Pahang government? To intimidate and scare the people?

On Feb 10, the state government issued its ultimatum to Shariffa Sabrina to apologise and pay up within 14 days or face legal action. Her apology has to satisfy the state’s administration. It should be open and unconditional, pre-approved and uploaded on social media platforms and remain on her social media forever.

The move defies logic. Most Malaysians, especially the people of Pahang, are aware that the performance of the state government has slipped from bad to worse.

Look at how the bauxite, Lynas and gold mining issues were handled. Look at the displaced Orang Asli whose lives are affected by uncontrolled logging and mining. Remember the durian scandal of Raub, the Cameron Highlands landslide saga and the Tasek Chini mess?

Some of those who lead the state administration appear not only clueless but also ultra sensitive. The suggestion to demand an apology and RM1 million in compensation over comments about the state’s involvement in logging activities appears as thick as two short planks.

One would like to think that the Pahang government is a democratically elected one, consisting of leaders and individuals who would fight for the rights of the people. Sadly, the administration has not built a good reputation for itself and, in the absence of a good reputation, how can it be defamed? If it has not earned a good name for itself, how can its image be smeared?

The lawyers acting on behalf of the state administration claim that Shariffa Sabrina’s “irresponsible attitude”, as shown via her statements, has subjected their client to accusations from the public that it is a “lying and irresponsible government with low integrity”. Instead of correcting that image, the state has decided to “bully” others.

Malaysians have every right to freedom of speech and expression, as enshrined in Article 10(1)(a) of the Federal Constitution. They have a right to discuss the performance of their government and public officials. It is one of the ways the state can improve its performance. Instead, the state wants to stifle free speech.

How can the public speak up if they feel there is something wrong with the system? Will all complaints be deemed sensitive? Sweeping them under the carpet is not the way forward.