DAP social media bureau chief Syahredzan Johan has criticised the Government’s enforcement action against former senator Siti Aishah Shaik Ismail, questioning if her TikTok video, which went viral, had made certain people “uncomfortable”. 

This is after the police and the Malaysian Communication and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) had supposedly taken her from her home to have her statement recorded over a TikTok video that she had created about the Government’s move to remove certain subsidies. 

According to Siti Aishah about eight or nine police and MCMC officers came to her home yesterday afternoon. They escorted her in three vehicles to the Ipoh District police headquarters where she had her statement recorded during a grilling of more than three hours. 

She claimed that her handphone was confiscated during her ordeal. 

On June 27, Bernama reported that Siti Aisyah is being investigated under the MCMC Act 1998 over the video, but did not specify under which provision of the law this was carried out. 

“The question now is whether the Government feels threatened by Siti Aishah’s TikTok so much so that it has taken actions against her. Is the Government afraid of a TikTok video?” Syahredzan said in a statement. 

Syahredzan, who is also Lim Kit Siang’s political secretary, said there was no reason for such a disproportionate action to be taken against someone for creating a TikTok video criticising the Government. 

In the two-minute-20-second video posted on June 21, Siti Aisyah declared July 1 as a day of suffering for the people because the Government will withdraw “all” subsidies on that day. 

She urged them to rise up, reminding her audience that “you are kings and they are coolies” once the 15th general election comes around. 

At the time of writing the video has garnered more than 143,000 “likes” and shared on various social media platforms more than 43,000 times. 

On June 21, the Government announced that subsidies for chicken, chicken eggs, and certain palm cooking oil products will be discontinued from July 1. 

Subsidies for palm cooking oil sold in 1kg polybag packages would continue – a point that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob reiterated on live television the next day. 

The prime minister also announced an extra RM100 for Keluarga Malaysia Aid (BKM). 

However, three days later, on June 24, the Government rescinded its decision to remove ceiling prices for chicken from July 1 and said a new price would be announced soon. 

Insisting that the move was not a “u-turn” Ismail Sabri said that the decision not to float chicken price was made after listening to the people’s views. 

According to Syahredzan the Government should be cognizant that Siti Aisyah’s video has gained traction as it resonated with the people who have long suffered from issues of subsidies and the increase in prices of essential goods. 

“The Government is urged to give space for dissenting voices and uphold the right to freedom of expression as enshrined in the Federal Constitution. Do not silence those who disagree with the Government,” he added. – June 28, 2022