Bersih threatens to sue MCMC over website ban

PETALING JAYA: Bersih 2.0 has threatened to sue the Malaysian Communication and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) unless it withdraws a ban on websites that spread information on the Bersih 4.0 rally.

The Bersih 2.0 chief Maria Chin Abdullah (pic) said that MCMC’s decision was quite shocking and against constitutional rights.

“It’s against the right to information, and he we are talking about implementing the right of information act,” she said adding that MCMC’s purpose was to ensure freer flow of information.

In a statement posted on the commission’s official Facebook page on Thursday, theMCMC said that all websites that promote, spread information and encourage the public to join the Bersih 4 rally will be blocked.

The commission also calling for the public to report such websites or social media accounts spreading content that could harm the nation’s stability, public order and economic stability.

Maria said that the organisers of the rally depended on social media and the internet for security, crowd control and to counter misinformation.

“We really depend on the internet for our dissemination of information. To stop that is going to cause inconvenience for us.

“We are going to sue them if they do not withdraw…It is really against the rakyat’s right to information. They have no right to block it,” she said.