What’s the hurry?: Wong (second from left) during the press conference at MCMC headquarters. Looking on are (from left) Chan, Gim Tuan and Jie Sen. — AZLINA ABDULLAH/ The Star
CYBERJAYA: Pahang MCA Youth chief Wong Siew Mun is perplexed over why she is being singled out for questioning by the authorities over comments she made about the proposed Urban Renewal Act (URA).
Wong was summoned by the Malaysian Communication and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) for questioning yesterday over a TikTok video she made on the Bill, which was recently debated in Parliament.
She said it was strange to be singled out when many others, including professional bodies and politicians from both sides of the divide, had voiced similar criticisms.
“The facts stated in the video were not fabricated, but based on facts drawn directly from the Bill tabled in Parliament.
“I also offered suggestions to strengthen the Bill, rather than merely criticising it,” she told reporters at the MCMC headquarters here yesterday.
Wong stressed that she would not back down from raising her views.
She entered the MCMC headquarters at about noon to be questioned by an MCMC officer and left the building after about three hours.
Wong said she gave her full cooperation to the commission and answered all questions posed to her.
“I’ve given my full cooperation during the session and I thank the MCMC officers for being professional and helpful during the process,” she said.
Wong hoped that her experience would serve as a reminder that freedom of speech was important.
“It is a precious lesson for us, especially on our National Day, to reflect on the value of our country.
“I will wait for the result (of the investigation) by the MCMC,” she added.
Meanwhile, Wanita MCA secretary-general Chan Quin Er, who represented Wong as her lawyer, said the process was smooth but Wong’s mobile phone was seized for analysis by the MCMC.
“We hope that this will be the final time that she needs to come to MCMC to give any statements. We have given our full cooperation,” she added.
Chan said the party stands firmly behind Wong.
“We are unwavering in our spirit to continue to speak the truth and we will continue to do so despite obstacles in our way,” she said.
Earlier, Chan raised concerns over the commission’s decision to investigate Wong under Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998.
Chan said the move was surprising, especially in light of a recent Court of Appeal ruling in the case of cosmetics entrepreneur Datuk Seri Aliff Syukri Kamarzaman, that found the term “annoying harassment” in the law to be unconstitutional.
“The question arises as to why this provision is still being used as the basis for an investigation,” she said.
She also questioned the intention, method and timing of the questioning, noting that it coincided with National Day.
Despite this, Chan stressed that the party stands in solidarity with Wong and that it would not be cowed by what she described as “intimidating tactics”.
“In solidarity, we stand firmly behind Siew Mun. We will not back down,” she added.
Among others who turned up to show their support were MCA Urban Affairs Bureau chief Tan Gim Tuan, Wanita MCA Beliawanis chief Ivone Low Yi Wen and Selangor MCA Youth chief Tan Jie Sen.
MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong previously said that Wong was summoned at the eleventh hour to give a statement at the MCMC headquarters in Cyberjaya.
He said he had received a call from Wong at 10.20pm on Saturday informing him that she had received a WhatsApp message summoning her to the MCMC headquarters in Cyberjaya at 11.30am.
“I understand that Siew Mun had asked the investigating officer to postpone the interview but was told that the officer had been asked by his superiors to record her statement tomorrow (yesterday),” the Ayer Hitam MP said in a Facebook post.
“Why is there such a rush to make last-minute arrangements to record her statement?
“Tomorrow (yesterday) is Malaysia’s 68th National Day. Why is Wong Siew Mun being summoned to MCMC during a long public holiday?
“MCMC must explain what is so ‘urgent’ as tomorrow (yesterday) is a public holiday,” Dr Wee said.
