“Are They Afraid Of A Video?” Lawyer Weighs In On Ex-Senator’s TikTok Criticising Lacklustre Gov’t

By Lara Kramer  •  29 Jun 2022 in News

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The investigation of a TikTok video shared by Siti Aishah Shaik Ismail, former chief of PKR Srikandi (the young women’s wing) has garnered national backlash and attention.

The 39-year-old had previously published a TikTok clip on Monday (June 26), whereby she criticised the government’s decision to withdraw existing subsidies on essential items such as cooking oil, amidst a nationwide inflation.

@sitiaishahshaikismail #fypシ #rakyatsusah #barangnaik #kerajaangagal #viral ♬ Horror, cinematic, ambient – Kirill Kharchenko

In the video, Siti Aishah discusses the government’s personal allowances, emphasising on how the local higher-uppers can afford lavish lifestyles while citizens are forced to break the bank and can barely even afford to pay for wedding ceremonies.

She also mentioned the government’s utility allowance, which covers their personal bills such as mobile and electricity fees; meanwhile, citizens are threatened with power cuts and legal action if they fail to make timely payments.

Towards the middle of the 2-minute-50-second clip, the former senator sarcastically alleges that government officials switch from old to new furniture seamlessly and unnecessarily.

She concludes the video by stating that government staff apply for the roles simply due to financial benefits and not for the betterment of the country, along with hashtags along the lines of #kerajaangagal and #rakyatsusah.

Inevitably, the clip went viral shortly after publication, with netizens expressing their disbelief and concern towards the nation.

Siti Aishah was then taken to the Sungai Senam police station to have her statement recorded by an officer from the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) at about 1.45pm yesterday, for investigative purposes.

Following that, Lawyer Syahredzan Johan questioned the matter and the true nature behind the prompt investigation.

“The question now is whether the government feels so threatened by Siti Aishah’s TikTok video to warrant it taking action against her.

Is the government really afraid of a TikTok video?” he said in a statement, as per Free Malaysia Today.

Syahredzan also said there was no justification for such an inordinate play against someone for simply speaking out against the government.

He added that the government should not dismiss those who disagreed with them.

Additionally, a now-viral audio recording has surfaced, in which a voice presumed to be Siti Aishah’s is quoted saying that the police as well as Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission officers had raided her house yesterday and confiscated the mobile phone along with other hardware used to capture the clip.

@sitiaishahshaikismail #fyp ♬ Epic Music(863502) – Draganov89

She has since countered the situation with another TikTok clip released yesterday, just after she was questioned, advising citizens not to allow themselves to be chided blindly.