Malaysian activist for sea-faring community questioned under sedition law

27/6/2024 18:01

        A Malaysian activist who has campaigned for the rights of a sea-faring minority group was questioned by police under sedition laws on Thursday, a move that has exacerbated worries about backsliding on democratic freedoms under Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.
        
        Mukmin Nantang, the founder of social advocacy group Borneo Komrad, was briefly detained by police as part of an investigation into the release of videos showing the destruction of Bajau Laut homes by authorities, his lawyer Nurul Rafeeqa said.
        
        It was not clear if Mukmin will be charged, she added.
        
        The Bajau Laut mostly reside in houseboats or rickety wooden huts built on stilts off the coast of Borneo island in Sabah state. Many don't have identification papers and are regarded by authorities as migrants.
        
        Authorities say the operation was carried out to boost security and combat cross-border crime.