Kuala Lampur, Sept. 18 -- In May 2026, attacks against Mandiri, a non-governmental organisation or NGO, surfaced online alleging that the organisation had received foreign funding to conduct political and disinformation activities with the alleged objective of destabilising the administration and ultimately bringing down Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.

Last week, further measures were taken against Mandiri and Hayat, another NGO; freezing the personal and organisational bank accounts of Mandiri directors Amir Hadi and Dobby Chew, as well as travel restrictions placed on both.

If an NGO receives foreign funding, does that make it a foreign agent? If it advocates democracy, does that mean it wants to overthrow the government? And if it crit...