KUALA LUMPUR: Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has expressed regret over the detention of a social media user last night.
“I was informed that the authorities arrested a social
media user last night. As I have stressed before, no leader in Malaysia is free of criticism,” he said on his Twitter account yesterday.
The Prime Minister said the people were free to criticise leaders if need be, and freedom of speech was important in democracy.
“Except for threats, lies or insults to reigning monarchs, any leader can be criticised without affecting the people’s right to speak,” he said.
The social media was rocked with the arrest of social media user Firdaus Abdillah Hamzah or @pipiyapong who was
believed to have insulted Tunku Mahkota Johor, Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim on Twitter. However, there has been no confirmation from the authorities.
Firdaus Abdillah’s arrest drew reactions from various
parties, including political activist Khalid Ismath. – Bernama
