Friday, July 04, 2025

MCA hires Bon to defend rep facing MCMC legal threat










MCA hires Bon to defend rep facing MCMC legal threat


Published: Jul 4, 2025 10:27 PM
Updated: 12:30 AM


Summary

  • MCA appoints human rights lawyer Edmund Bon to defend party member Wong Siew Mun, who faces legal action from MCMC after questioning the govt’s mobile data collection programme.

  • Party chief Wee Ka Siong says MCMC’s legal letter demands Wong apologise within 24 hours, remove her video, and promise never to comment on social media again.



MCA has enlisted prominent human rights lawyer Edmund Bon to represent its party member facing a legal threat from the MCMC.

MCA president Wee Ka Siong said the decision was taken after Pahang MCA Youth leader Wong Siew Mun, who had questioned the government’s mobile data collection programme, was served with a legal letter from a private law firm acting for the MCMC.

Wong had, in her TikTok video last month, questioned the MCMC’s order for telecommunications companies to provide detailed records about their users’ phone and internet usage.

Since then, police have questioned her and confiscated her phone.

Wee said a letter was issued to Wong demanding an apology within 24 hours and the removal of her Bahasa Malaysia video from TikTok regarding freedom of speech, as the latter had previously posted on the said TikTok.

“Thirdly, in this letter, she was also asked to promise that she would never comment on any social media platform, and if there is any similar content, it must be taken down. This is an unreasonable request.

Pahang MCA Youth leader Wong Siew Mun


“MCA has discussed this with our lawyers, and we have found that this is unreasonable. At the same time, as MCA has promised, we will fight for and defend Wong.

“The party’s decision is that a legal team will be established internally. At the same time, we have appointed Bon, who is an experienced lawyer, especially in human rights matters, to represent Wong in all matters and court procedures,” Wee said in a video posted on his Facebook page.

Bon (above) is presently also Malaysia’s representative to the Asean Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights.

Calls to drop probe

MIC Youth chief Arvind Krishnan had previously urged authorities to drop investigations against Wong.

He said that the Communication Ministry should respond to the issue by being transparent instead of getting authorities to take action.

“The seizure of her phone and the recording of her statement under Section 505 of the Penal Code and Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act sends a chilling message to all Malaysians: asking questions could get you investigated,” he said.

MCA deputy president Mah Hang Soon had also urged the government not to treat dissenters as enemies.


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