Senior journalists the latest targets of Malaysia's crackdown on civil liberties

Nurul Izzah, daughter of imprisoned Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim, was released on bail on March 17. She has warned that Malaysia is sliding towards becoming a "police state". Photo: Reuters/Olivia Harris

Weeks after jailing opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim for five years, Malaysia's government has escalated a crackdown on civil liberties and freedom of speech.

Five senior journalists are the latest targets in a mounting tally of detentions under a draconian sedition law that Prime Minister Najib Razak promised to abolish in 2012, describing it as of a "bygone era."

Critics are comparing sweeping arrests to an infamous 1987 political crackdown by former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad that crushed his political opponents.

Senior opposition figure Lim Kit Siang estimates that more than 100 people have been detained over the past week. In February, authorities arrested the popular cartoonist Zunar.

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Mr Najib has been fending off criticism over his handling of state investment fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad that is billions of dollars in debt and faces challenges to his leadership within his ruling United Malays National Organisation (UMNO).

Dozens of opposition politicians, activists, students and lawyers have been arrested over the past year on sedition and other charges after the government that has ruled since 1956 lost the popular vote at elections in 2013, but remained in power because of a gerrymandered voting system.

Three leading opposition politicians were among those arrested last week in a bid to stop a protest march demanding the release of Mr Anwar, who was convicted on rarely-used sodomy charge that was widely seen as being politically motivated.

Mr Anwar's daughter Nurul Izzah, a member of parliament and one of those recently charged with sedition, has warned that Malaysia was sliding towards becoming a "police state".

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Senior journalists the latest targets of Malaysia's crackdown on civil liberties