When crown price of Johor, Tunku Ismail posted on his social page on the fear that there are agencies monitoring his activity and of that the royal palace, there was a sense of surrealism in the new Malaysia that we have come to know. If this statement were to be before May 9, we would have shrugged our shoulders and would have understood something like this from the previous government, but not Malaysia Baru.

Detailing the method used which is similar to that used by the FBI, he claimed an individual approached him to sell an Isreal made device than can spy and gather intel on anyone. The system was also apparently used  in the election to manage cyber warfare. Tunku went on the say that few government officials informed him that the technology is used by MCMC, Special Branch and the Prime Ministers office have been using it.

” I know the former government used it but this is suppose to be Malaysia Baru – it is no place for such practises any longer”.

The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission has come out disclaiming such activities are being conducted and immediately refuted the Prince’s assertions. In a statement, Acting Chairman Dato’ Dr. Mohd Ali stated MCMC  does not carry out mass monitoring of any social media or emails.

“Any investigations into social media postings and enforcement action are carried out as a result of complaints or requests by law enforcement agencies.” said Dr. Mohd Ali. Dr. Mohd Ali stressed that the government upholds the right to freedom of speech and privacy within the confines of the law and MCMC will assist if there is a breach of the law.r

Governments covertly spying it’s citizens or certain individuals is no longer a far fetched theory from a Robert Ludlum novel, but they are happening even in our backyard. Technology has made monitoring much easier, and citizens who are connected become much easier targets. Just like in Singapore, the term ‘Big Brother is Watching’ is slowly becoming a way of life.