Nazri Preaches to Us, The 'Stupid' Public.

The media and public have been told not to misuse freedom of expression in this country by spreading baseless accusations through the Internet amid a climate of government openness.

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz said that if the individuals concerned had concrete proof of wrongdoings, they should be bold enough to come forward and report them to the relevant authorities for action to be taken.

"We should view this as the government's openness where the people are now free to express their views on various issues compared to before. But I would advise the complainants to use the right channels as we have a legal system."

Nazri was speaking to reporters after officially opening the Negeri Sembilan Bar Committee building and the Bar Council's Legal Aid Bureau here Tuesday.

He said that if there was to be any complaint against an individual, it should be done in writing with the proof attached and sent to the authorities concerned for the complaint to be investigated.

He criticized irresponsible individuals who misused the Internet by making malicious accusations to the extent of damaging the victims' reputation.

"Don't tell me every posting in the blogs which carry such accusations must be investigated. Anyone can put anything in the blogs. What is important is that the blogger or commentator must be responsible for his or her accusations against others.

"The best thing to do is for the accuser to write directly to the authorities concerned to avoid controversies, like the accuser being investigated instead of the accused," he said. (Bernama)

***** Nazri is quite right that the government today is more open especially when compared to the intolerance demonstrated by the authorities in the 90s. However he sounds so silly when he urges the public, including bloggers to make reports with proof attached for the investigations to take place.

In the case of the DG of the ACA, a housewife filed many reports in police stations in Dang Wangi, Segambut and in Mambau, Negri Sembilan alleging sexual crimes and assault with explicit details by the victim, yet nothing was done except a big cover-up. If not for the Democracy and Anti Corruption Movement and the blogs which subsequently publicized the injustice and exposed the crimes as well as the shameful inaction by our investigators, the matter would have been buried for good. This woman had submitted a 12-page report to the police, giving full details of her alleged affair with Zulkipli when he was then the Johor police chief and alleged physical abuse at his hands. Zilch was done. Yet Nazri nonchalantly tells us the 'stupid' public, media and of course the NGOs to make reports and attach proof!

Yes Nazri you're right when you say, "anyone can put anything in the blogs." But when among the thousands of blogs and postings, if you get one that even smells of great injustice to a fellow citizen, you as a minister should feel duty bound and be the first to express concern and ensure that justice is done. Instead what you and some members of this sorry Cabinet are doing is automatically and reflexly taking the side of officials and politicians no matter if they are guilty as hell. Shame on you Nazri.
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