DAP's Petaling Jaya MP Tony Pua said the country has entered a new age of darkness under Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak after the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) blocked news portal The Malaysian Insider ( TMI ).

"Never has the media in Malaysia faced a greater onslaught than it faces today since the dark days of Operasi Lalang where The Star , Sin Chew Jit Poh , Watan was suspended on 29 October 1987," he said in a statement today.

Pua said the block appears to be a bid by the government to put a lid on "a barrel of crawling worms" as Najib's leadership is plagued by scandals.

"The unannounced block by MCMC is a blatant show of naked force to not only shut down ‘misbehaving’ news sites, (but) it is also intended to frighten and threaten all other news portals into submission and compliance.

"The increasing brute and brazen attempts by the Najib administration to tear down the fourth estate - a critical pillar to check and balance those who are in power - will only go to demonstrate how we are closer to a banana republic than we think we are.

"The world will now see in our full naked glory, how Malaysia is run by an utterly corrupt and shameless regime," he said.

Pua noted that this followed blocks against whistleblower site Sarawak Report , electoral reform portal Bersih.org, and also several sites critical of the establishment.

"Worse, the MCMC has blatantly flouted the very laws it claims to protect by taking action against the website without even any charges pressed against them.

" TMI has stated that it has no knowledge of being investigated for any of its reports, nor has it been sought to assist in clarifying any matter deemed sensitive by the authorities.

"This goes to prove the complete disregard for the rule of law by the government," he said.

'Block unacceptable'

Pua urged the MCMC and Najib administration to lift the block on all news portals.

"It will not only to return Malaysia to some semblance of the rule of law, but also to prevent a further drain in confidence in the country by local and foreign investors which will crush our fragile economy today," he said.

Meanwhile, Parti Amanah Negara communications director Khalid Samad also condemned the block on TMI .

"Amanah realises that the government is under pressure from various allegations of corruption and abuse of power, particularly those related to 1MDB.

"But blocking access to any news portal like TMI is unacceptable.

"Amanah condemns any efforts to cover up the wrongdoings of government leaders and the denial of the rakyat's right to free and credible information that is not from the government," he said.

Khalid urged that the block be lifted and for the government to come clean with the issues plaguing it.