Guan Eng: Kedah’s MB critics arrest, an abuse of authority

Lim Guan Eng, secretary-general of the DAP, condemned the detention and investigation of numerous people accused of “insulting” Kedah Mentri Besar Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor, describing it as an abuse of authority.

According to the former finance minister, the administration is utilizing the police as a political tool.

In a brief news conference outside the northeast district police headquarters, he asked reporters that if it was only for criticizing the Kedah MB, he had always gotten insults but the police never did action, so why have four individuals been detained for insulting the Kedah MB?

Lim, who is also a Bagan MP, stated that public officials should be prepared to face criticism and insults as a result of their job, adding that he was regularly subjected to such criticism and insults while serving as a federal minister and Penang chief minister.

He added that in the case the charges are false, then he should sue them in court instead of arresting them.

Lim stated the authorities should only intervene if there are threats of death or bodily harm.

He was responding to the arrests of people in Kedah for allegedly criticizing Sanusi on social media.

According to reports, Sanusi filed a complaint against his critics through his officers.

The matter is being investigated by the police under Section 14 of the Minor Offences Act of 1955, Section 504 of the Penal Code, and Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act of 1998.

The arrests attracted harsh condemnation from the public, who accused the authorities of using a double standard.

Sanusi recently made a contentious “joke” regarding Covid-related fatalities, for which he later apologized. Lim stated that his apology demonstrated that he had made a mistake in saying the joke and that it was not improper for people to criticize him for his insensitive remark.