The Malaysian Insight

THE authorities have questioned participants of Parlimen Digital on their political allegiance and their motive in organising the youth-led platform, organisers said today.

They said the police had approached some of the participants via social media to inquire about the programme’s links to any opposition parties.

None of the organisers have been approached.

“The line of questioning infers if Parlimen Digital was organised by a political faction.

“Police then asked the political alliances of the organisers,” a secretariat member told The Malaysian Insight.

Police had approached six participants on social media on details of the programme and their participation.

“The participants were actually approached on social media and texts to ask for their home address and personal information,” the organisers said.

Parlimen Digital is organised by several youth-led groups.

The three groups, Challenger Malaysia, Undi 18 and Liga Demokratik Malaysia initiated this to prove Parliament sittings can be done online, after the Dewan Rakyat session was shortened to a day amid Covid-19 fears.

In a statement this afternoon, the Parliament Digital secretariat said police should directly contact the organisers for clarification on the initiative, which it reiterated was neutral.

“We as organisers will endeavour to hold sacred the neutrality of the Parlimen Digital platform.

“We hope to engage the police to ease any concerns they may have,” the secretariat said in its statement.

It added that all participants had been selected based on their personal merit that had “no connection to (their) political inclinations whatsoever”.

The secretariat also raised concerns about the manner in which the participants had been questioned by the police.

“Some participants were called to police stations for questioning without legal counsel, while some were invited out for casual discussions.”

Participants represented the 222 constituencies to debate various motions and its final session concluded today.

Opposition leaders, including Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Anwar Ibrahim, have shown support for the programme.

Bukit Gelugor MP and lawyer Ramkarpal Singh has condemned the police’s questioning of participants.

“It can be seen as an act of intimidation of an otherwise peaceful initiative aimed at encouraging youth empowerment.

“I cannot see how such a programme has breached any laws and as such, the police certainly have no business interfering in the same,” he said in a statement.

Ramkarpal, who is also DAP legal bureau chairman, said the initiative is meant to promote intelligent discourse and that police are seen as stifling the freedom of speech.

He has urged Inspector-General of Police Abdul Hamid Bador to explain why an investigation is necessary and to immediately put a stop to it. – July 5, 2020.