Has the cat got your tongue, Ambiga asks 'friends' in DAP

Prominent lawyer Ambiga Sreenevasan has again come out strongly to condemn the Pakatan Harapan (PH) government, accusing those she described as "friends" in the coalition of failing to stand up against the continued suppression of freedom of expression and the series of U-turns on promised democratic reforms.

Ambiga, the former chairman of Bersih, which held large PH-backed rallies against the previous Barisan Nasional government, reminded PH of its election promises to defend freedom of expression and abolish draconian laws such as the Sedition Act and the Printing Presses and Publications Act (PPPA).

"A lot of them are my friends. They criticise me and I have no problem with that because I believe in freedom of speech. They are good people.

"What's gone wrong? Has the cat got your tongue?" she said in response to a question about the silence of DAP and Amanah leaders during a recent episode of a podcast hosted by former minister Zaid Ibrahim.

Ambiga said that the government's crackdown on free speech and online criticism was an insult to the people's intelligence.

"What is wrong with you? That is really quite horrifying for me," she added.

Her remarks followed an earlier statement in which she condemned the government's latest plan to control internet content by licencing social media platforms.

Ambiga had described Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's administration as "the most dictatorial government we have ever had".

"I never thought I would see the day when a PH-led government which ran on the platform of fighting for the abolishment of the PPPA would instead keep it and impose new licensing laws," she said.

Putrajaya recently announced that it would shut down social media platforms that had yet to apply for a licence before Jan 1, 2025.

The government will also introduce a social media "kill switch" that will allow it to shut down access to platforms, similar to how governments in China, Egypt, Iran and India have shut down internet connections in the past to stop opposition views.

Critics said the move was designed to force popular internet platforms such as Facebook and TikTok, and even messaging apps like WhatsApp and Telegram, to comply with government demands and delete content or risk losing their licence.