A Malaysian politician, Nancy Shukri, has threatened to sue a university lecturer, Zheng Wen De, over criticism made by him against her. Zheng, who is the chairman of the National Union of Malaysian Writers and Artists, had publicly criticized Shukri for her role in the country's government, stating that she was a symbol of the government's cronyism and corruption. Shukri had denied the allegations, calling them baseless and untrue. She claimed that her image had been tarnished by Zheng's words and demanded a public apology and compensation of RM200,000. Zheng, who earns only several thousand ringgit a month, has called the demands 'absurd' and 'intimidation tactics'. He stated that he would not back down from his criticism and would be prepared to defend himself in court. This incident has sparked a debate about the limits of free speech in Malaysia, with some calling for the government to take action against those who threaten to sue critics for speaking out against them. The case has also raised concerns about the impact of such lawsuits on freedom of expression, as well as the lengths to which politicians will go to silence their critics.