Medium stands by investigative journalists as Malaysia blocks the site

The Malaysian Communications and Mutimedia Commission (MCMC) has blocked Medium after the blogging platform refused to remove a post it claimed to contain false reporting on the country’s prime minister.

The post in question was published by Sarawak Report, a site run by British journalist Clare Rewcastle Brown, and refers to the alleged corruption of Malaysia’s Prime Minister Najib Razak.

Razak was facing more than thirty charges relating to a transfer of $681 million into his personal bank account. While the Malaysian Attorney General has now declared the money was a gift from the Saudi Arabian royal family, the prime minister was reportedly negotiating his exit prior to the ruling on the basis he could keep the money, according to Sarawak Report’s post.

Sarawak Report has been banned in Malaysia since July when it emerged as the main whistleblower for news involving corruption in the country and its prime minister. It continued to reach Malaysian readers by posting its articles on Medium.

As Medium has confirmed, it received a letter from the MCMC on January 20 asking it to remove the article on Sarawak Report’s page as it claimed it was illegal and false.

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Medium responded and asked for evidence that the post was false and how it was breaking the law:

The MCMC has not responded and instead it blocked access to Medium. Reports of users being unable to access the platform began one day after Medium responded to the MCMC’s request.

https://twitter.com/soulchild___/status/690569125958017024

Medium’s legal team published a post confirming the situation and reiterating that it will “stand by investigative journalists who publish on Medium. Until we receive an order from a court of competent jurisdiction, the post stays up.”

Your move, MCMC.

➤ The Post Stays Up [Medium Legal]