WITH the advent of social media, a vast space was created for thoughts to flow freely and creatively. It is a new frontier that opens up unlimited opportunities for people to roam and explore imaginative ways of expression.

In a sense, all are playing the role of “journalists” as they file their reports for the world to read what they have to say about any topics under the sky.

There are so many “friends” out there ready to receive and display your opinions, videos and views - Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, YouTube, WhatsApp and many more.

You get so much thrill seeing your “journalistic” work up in cyberspace where you can also exchange views or engage in discussion with fellow netizens.

But troubled times are ahead. In the eyes of the Madani government, this newfangled technology is like the Wild West - lawless, uncontrollable.

Suddenly, the government has become allergic to social media that it now deems as potentially harmful to public life and wants to regulate the platform to keep it in check.

Like the newspaper industry, all social media users must presumably apply for licence, perhaps yearly or monthly in order to upload stories, comments, analyses or even any trivial bits of information.

Censoring political content

The free-wheeling spirit of the digital world will be dampened with this proposed crackdown on the emergence of this new form of journalism that is rattling the authorities.

The ostensible reason for “licensing” the free flow of thoughts is to prevent the uploading of contents that could have “negative effects on the community”.

Granted, social media can be misused but people these days want to share their thoughts or put in their two cents’ worth on controversial issues which invariably revolve around politics.

The only effective way they could channel their opinions, beliefs and ideas on the various political issues into the public domain is through the medium of social media.

Like journalists, they, too, could expose the flaws in government policies, discover dirt on errant ministers, influence public opinion against unpopular laws or even break the government of the day.

It is understandable why the alternative medium has become a popular choice for those who want to pour out all their anger, frustration and dissent when they see the country drifting dangerously off-course.

There is no way the traditional print media would entertain any articles or even letters that touch on matters pertaining to the wrongdoings of the government or expose scandals of the ruling coalition.

Newspapers would lose their licence if they dare cross the red-line. The government would rather welcome stories on how to clean public toilets than how to clean up its own public house.

‘Gag order’

With newspapers operating under difficult conditions, the baton is now in the hands of social media practitioners who can wear the mantle of truth-seekers and “bring up awkward facts” about official narratives that contain many holes and cracks.

In the era of “mass modern politics”, the government no longer have a monopoly on public debate. Now anyone can argue, disagree, criticise any policies or laws that are detrimental to public interests by resorting to social media.

What is the real motive for training the gun on users and owners of this hot platform? The official contention that there must be laws to check the irresponsible use of the platform rings hollow.

Social media is a people’s forum. It is the voice of the ordinary men and women who have found an effective outlet to express their thoughts and feelings just as the ballot box is a powerful tool to show support or disgust with the ruling government.

By proposing to shackle the wings of freedom of expression, the government is treating social media users like enemies to be punished with punitive laws.

But they are no foes but patriots who want to defend their country by speaking out against injustice and the misrule of law.

As long as these users “combine liveliness with discretion and patriotism” in their writings, they must be left alone to pursue their thoughts and opinions on any subjects including political misconduct.

Jailing them for writing out the unvarnished truth will not stop the outpouring of creative energy.

You can clamp the body behind bars but you cannot imprison the mind where thoughts will flow freely through prison walls and burst out into the open to merge with the millions of thoughts floating in the vast, vast cyberspace.

Malaysia practises democracy and you cannot smother democracy by stifling “lively debate and argument” even on social media. - July 18, 2-24

Phlip Rodrigues is a retired journalist. 

https://focusmalaysia.my/dont-license-freedom-of-expression-for-both-print-media-and-social-media-demographics/