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PETALING JAYA: The President of the Malaya University New Youth Association (Umany), Yap Wen Qing, and Vice President Tan Li Yuan, will be investigated by the police for sedition and crimes under the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 .
This came after the group published a post on Facebook with the title “Yang Di-Pertuan Agong must not interfere in national affairs.”
Yap was called to Kajang Police Station today for questioning and a spokesman for the group told FMT that he was cooperating with the investigation.
The spokesperson said Yap spent three hours at the police station talking to the police. A human rights lawyer was present.
No charges have yet been brought against the group or the president, the spokesperson added.
In a statement issued after Yap’s interrogation, the group reiterated that his position was protected by his right to freedom of expression, enshrined in the Federal Constitution, adding that his position “did not deserve to be silenced or maliciously attacked.”
The group further said: “We agree that any form of freedom must have its limits, but that said, overstepping the limits of freedom to the point of not being able to rationally discuss the current issues in Malaysia would be too excessive.”
They also targeted “irresponsible” individuals who they claimed had harassed and intimidated them online after the FB post, claiming that certain women had been victims of sexual harassment and verbal abuse online.
Universiti Malaya, which issued a statement saying they would investigate the group, was also criticized, and the group said the institution’s suppression of academic freedom would make them a “laughingstock” in the international community.
Finally, the statement thanked those who supported Umany since the message was published and expressed the hope that civil society organizations can work together to protect freedom of expression and “get our country out of the quagmire of superiority politics. racial and hatred ”.
