Wong under investigation for sedition over book that was banned by Malaysian government three years ago
An Australian-based journalist has been briefly detained and is under investigation for sedition inKean Wong is a Malaysian citizen but a permanent resident of Australia, where he has lived and worked for about 30 years.
The book was banned on 1 July 2020 as the government deemed it potentially prejudicial to public order, security, and national interest, according to the statement. “The Sedition Act and the Printing Presses and Publications Act are archaic legislations with broad provisions, often arbitrarily used as a weapon to silence any critic.”
“Australia fully respects the independence of Malaysia’s justice system. We will continue to monitor the case closely.”A Malaysian police official confirmed Wong remained under investigation in a statement published by the New Straits Times. Human Rights Watch have repeatedly warned against the crackdown of Malaysian authorities on free speech, including detaining comedians and artists for material including satirical Spotify playlists and cartoons.
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