Complete Ban On 3rs Benefits The Opposition Says Human Rights Lawyer

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Human rights lawyer Edmund Bon said only speech that incites hate or violence should be prohibited, not all 3R-related expressions. (Facebook pic)
PETALING JAYA: A blanket ban on discussing race, religion and royalty (3Rs) risks oversimplifying such topics and risks enabling the opposition to exploit the narrative, says a human rights lawyer.
Edmund Bon said the current crackdown on 3R discussions not only threatens free speech but does not effectively address extremism.
“When the government emphasises 3Rs prohibition, it actually plays more into the hands of the opposition because you make something so ‘exclusive’, so ‘exceptional’.
“Then, of course, the opposition would want to take advantage, so the more the ban is emphasised, the more it would (be used to) increase the influence base of the opposition,” he said during a panel discussion at the launch of a report by the Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ) here today.
Bon, who is Malaysia’s representative to the Asean Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights, also warned that such prohibitions might embolden groups demanding stricter censorship.
As such, he said, only expressions that incite hate or advocate violence should be prohibited.
“Freedom of expression can be limited by law as long as it’s necessary and proportionate, and the means used are justified,” he said.
“We must understand that certain things should be discouraged and certain things prohibited under human rights law. We must know how to make the difference between both to approach them accordingly.”
CIJ executive director Wathshlah Naidu echoed Bon’s concerns, pointing out that the government has historically restricted 3R discussions, especially during elections when related rhetoric intensifies.
She said suppressing discourse could backfire, entrenching extreme perceptions about 3R instead of fostering understanding.
“To change all these, communication is important and the right to information is critical.
“(But) within the information ecosystem now, we are falling into certain silos, and those are the spaces where 3R rhetoric prevails,” she said.
CIJ report highlights shrinking civic space
The State of Freedom of Expression in Malaysia 2024 report released today found Malaysia’s civic space shrinking because of government censorship, including blocking news sites and launching investigations against journalists.
It also noted an increased police presence at peaceful gatherings, and inconsistent enforcement of the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012.
The report documented 105 unique cases involving restrictive laws between January and November, with Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act (CMA) invoked 99 times.
CIJ reiterated its call for the government to repeal or amend oppressive laws, including the Sedition Act, the CMA, the Official Secrets Act, the Peaceful Assembly Act, and sections of the Penal Code that limit free expression.
The centre also called for strengthening of independent oversight bodies to curb surveillance abuses, accelerating the establishment of the Malaysian Media Council, and enacting a Right to Information Act. - FMT

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