"Depending on the final investigations of the Royal Malaysian Police, the Home Ministry will formally approach the British government through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs if there is a prima facie case for legal action against Claire Rewcastle-Brown.And less than 24 hours later, Clare contested the point by saying the staff of the Sarawak Report cannot be extradited to Malaysia as they have not committed any crime in the United Kingdom, said Sarawak Report founder Clare Rewcastle-Brown.
“Cooperation between the police and Scotland Yard has already been established and this will make any follow-up action for extradition easier," said Zahid in a post on his official Facebook page.
He added that under the principle of sovereignty, "the British will not condone any of its citizens interfering in the internal affairs of other countries."
"Sarawak Report has not committed a crime recognisable in the UK (any more than in Malaysia), so how can we be extradited?" questioned Rewcastle-Brown on Sunday.
She also questioned whether she could be extradited if she was to face sedition charges in Malaysia.
"As for 'sedition', this has not been prosecuted in the UK for hundreds of years and it was abolished as a crime by the present Prime Minister - so he is unlikely to be enthusiastic about the idea if UK citizens being tried for it elsewhere.
“No one in Malaysia has ever successfully defined what sedition means anyway.
"Is reporting a crime sedition if it annoys powerful people?"
Nope! Reporting is not a crime.
However, reporting unverified and falsified documents IS a crime and against the ethics of journalism. Worst, publishing lies that shambles a government and a country.
And it applies to The Edge too. The three-month suspension is not too difficult to comprehend, according to Barisan Nasional director of Strategic Communications Datuk Abdul Rahman Dahlan.
“Unless, of course, some people are not interested in finding the truth in their evil quest to remove the government — at all cost.“If we condone stealing and publishing private documents, then I am afraid we are giving a wrong signal — if not setting up a dangerous precedent.”
In drawing similarities between the public’s trust of the banking system and the media, he asked if it was acceptable for bank officers to secretly photocopy their clients’ banking documents and make them public, or steal and sell the documents to the highest bidder, just because the bank officers suspected the clients were of bad character.
People trust banks because of their absolute commitment to protect personal information and banking data of their clients.
More puzzling is the fact that they 'bought lies' and kept publishing it, knowing it was not right in the very first place? What's the motive?“That’s how you create stability in the banking system. When we send the wrong signal that it is okay to reveal it, steal and sell private data, then the entire banking system is in jeopardy!“The same goes to the fourth estate, the media. Once a media organisation, no matter how much you adore it, starts using illegal means to obtain information to justify giving you news, red flags will be up everywhere.“Their independence will be compromised and their motives will be in question.”
And here comes a former Cabinet minister who said the suspension was not the right decision. The former minister had, during the late 80s and early 90s, scoffed at the media over a small error made, which led to the Press imposing a 3-month blackout of the minister.
Also, a banker who said the suspension is against the freedom of speech and Press. Really? Just because The Edge is a business newspaper (not a political one?), the Home Ministry was wrong to slap them with such an action.
The corporate entity, including banks and private companies, are fond of suing newspapers, editors and reporters for any slight 'undetectable' mistake in their story. They can't even accept forecast and speculation stories about their business, which they usually describe as 'fabricated lies' that could harm their business.
You don't like lies and speculations, right?
I don't agree 100 per cent on The Edge suspension but there are times when we have to put a stop to such nonsense. After all, The Edge has said they will appeal for it, which the Home Ministry (I believe) will consider.