MPPP gag order – DAP’s practice of subduing disagreement now taken up by MPPP, proving speech freedom non-existent in Penang

It is disheartening to note that the DAP Penang state government’s actions in curbing freedom of speech has rubbed off on the Penang Municipal Council (MPPP) as can be seen in their decision to issue a gag order on councilor Dr Lim Mah Hui over his outspokenness in slamming the state government for influencing the approval of a hillslope development project in Sungai Ara.




Thus, this brings no meaning to DAP’s claim of freedom of speech, and reveals their hypocritical nature. When Lim Guan Eng, the Penang Chief Minister, had claimed “a victory for press freedom” when the High Court struck out a defamation suit filed by Penang Umno Liaison Committee against him, the public now know that his statements bears no meaning due to the MPPP gag order.



Not only has Guan Eng influenced the state government to boycott mainstream media news agencies like Utusan Malaysia and New Straits Times from covering state events, it seems that his arrogance has influenced MPPP as well. In DAP, gag orders are the norm used for quelling dissidence, the most recent being the gag order imposed on former party Vice-Chairman Tunku Abdul Aziz, and now Dr Lim Mah Hui appears to be another victim of DAP’s arrogance.



No more check and balance



Now with his gagging, the council’s system of check and balance has been shattered, as Dr Lim Mah Hui was appointed a councilor under the NGO quota. His outspokenness has allowed the public to know the real truth of what is going on in the state government administration as he is liable to no one. The gag order imposed on him defeats the purpose of having him as a councillor at all as what is the point of having a councillor who is not afraid to speak out on behalf of the people?



DAP should learn to take responsibility



Instead of shutting up Dr Lim Mah Hui through the MPPP gag order, or by shifting the blame to the previous BN state government, Guan Eng should instead take responsibility for his actions and admit that the hillslope development project in Sungai Ara was indeed approved by his state government. Thus, the public should be aware that DAP is not as perfect as they claim to be, and that they are politicizing everything only so that they can take over Putrajaya and that their involvement in many other scandals, such as the sPICE project and the Bayan Mutiara land sale, are proof that DAP is unfit to govern.