Bukit Aman to call up Al Jazeera reporter, anyone linked to lockdown documentary

KUALA LUMPUR: Those behind the Al Jazeera documentary,"Locked Up in Malaysia's Lockdown", are expected to be called by Bukit Aman this week to help with investigations, says Bukit Aman.

Criminal Investigations Department deputy director (Investigation/Legal), Deputy Comm Mior Faridalathrash Wahid (pic) on Tuesday (July 7) said five reports had been lodged over the Qatar-based broadcaster's production for its 101 East segment.

"The reporter and anyone linked to the production will be called in," he said.

Bukit Aman would be releasing a statement on the matter soon, he added.

Earlier, Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Abdul Hamid Bador said the police were investigating the report for “several offences”, including sedition.

"The reporters will be called in to answer a few questions soon. They will be investigated under several Acts, including the Penal Code and the Sedition Act.

“We will see if they get charged after they answer our questions," he told reporters on the sidelines of the National Census Day event in Putrajaya.

Separately, the Immigration Department said it was looking for one of the men interviewed by Al Jazeera in its report.

Md Rayhan Kabir is wanted by the department to help with investigations under the Immigration Act 1959/63.

Malaysians have slammed the 25-minute documentary and accussed Al Jazeera of unfair reporting.

The documentary highlighted the government's actions on migrants while dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic.

It is believed that angry comments online led the broadcaster to disable the comments section on its YouTube channel.

On Monday (June 6), Senior Minister (Security) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob also called on Al Jazeera to apologise for coming up with an allegedly false report on the country.