KUALA LUMPUR: Veteran journalist Datuk A Kadir Jasin has expressed his support for activist Hishamuddin Rais, who was investigated over content posted on his blog, "Tukar Tiub," deemed offensive.
In a Facebook post, Kadir commended Hishamuddin, who was recently brought in for questioning by police, for his dedication to his cause.
"I do not take pity on Hishamuddin @ Isham Rais for his constant run-ins with the authorities.
"Instead, I applaud him for his unwavering commitment to his struggle.
"I don't think a few policemen and officers from the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) rummaging through his files will intimidate him," his post read.
"In Malaysia, which is replete with fake idealists, pseudo-reformists, and self-proclaimed people's heroes, Isham stands tall as a genuine political activist.
"I beg to differ with some critics of Communications and Digital Minister Ahmad Fahmi Mohamed Fadzil, the MCMC, and the police who think issuing a strongly worded statement is the way to go.
"Instead, I'll join Isham (Hishamuddin) and his band of brothers and sisters in pushing the boundary of freedom and taking the government and its control apparatus to task openly through my writings."
Last Thursday (July 4), Hishamuddin was called in by police to give a statement for an alleged offensive blog post dated April 25 concerning the prime minister and his health status.
Police had purportedly held him for over two hours for questioning.
His lawyer, Zaid Malek, confirmed this, saying that Hishamuddin gave his statement at the Brickfields police headquarters on the same day.
"His house was also searched, but no arrest was made.
"He was called in for an investigation under Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act regarding a blog post about Prime Minister (Datuk Seri) Anwar Ibrahim," he told the New Straits Times.
However, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) clarified that Hishamuddin himself was not the subject of the investigation. Instead, his statement was recorded concerning "offensive content" reposted on his blog.
Further in his post, Kadir said that if all journalists, writers, and creative people were united and fearless in pushing and testing the boundaries of freedom, they "would succeed far beyond making noises and issuing occasional protest notes."
"But the pen would never be mightier than the sword if journalists and writers allow themselves to be cowed by the politicians, bureaucrats, businessmen, and their apparatchiks," he added.