COMMENT | Last week, police recorded statements from researcher/writer Lalitha Kunaratnam who published two articles related to the share ownership of MACC head honcho Azam Baki.

The investigations were under Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act and Section 505 of the Penal Code.

Among others, these two clauses address the issue of making statements to incite the community and with intent to annoy, abuse, threaten or harass any person.

Lalitha’s two-part article - “Business Ties Among MACC Leadership: How Deep Does It Go?” - was published by the Independent News Service (INS) late last year.

Among others, the articles gave details of Azam’s ownership of 1,930,000 shares in Gets Global Berhad (previously KBES Berhad) on April 30, 2015 worth around RM772,000 at the time.

Azam has since filed a defamation suit against Lalitha, who then filed her statement of defence. I do not wish to make comments on the civil suit but wish to address the criminal aspects that the police are investigating.

Let it be said that the information published by Lalitha is in the public domain. She collated them, put them together and asked legitimate questions that any journalist worth his salt would ask.

If publishing publicly available information constitutes an offence, I have to put up my hands and say...