Malaysia

(CIJ/IFEX) – The following is a 26 November 2008 statement by the Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ), an interim member of IFEX: CIJ welcomes activist’s acquittal after 13 years on charges of publishing false news The Centre for Independent Journalism Malaysia expresses its support and happiness at the acquittal of activist Irene Fernandez of the […]

(HRW/IFEX) – The following is a 22 November 2008 Human Rights Watch press release: Malaysia: Drop Case Against Labor Activist Country’s Longest-Running Case Is Set to Resume (New York, November 22, 2008) – The Malaysian government should exonerate Irene Fernandez, a leading labor activist convicted in 2003 on politically motivated charges of “publishing false news,” […]

(RSF/IFEX) – Reporters Without Borders has condemned the brutality by riot police who broke up a peaceful demonstration in Kuala Lumpur on 8 November 2008. Some 22 people were arrested during the day, including two journalists and a blogger. Demonstrators were singing the national anthem at the rally, held by the Coalition for Clean and […]

(RSF/IFEX) – Reporters Without Borders hails the 7 November 2008 release of online journalist Raja Petra Kamaruddin, founder and editor of the Malaysia Today website ( http://mt.m2day.org/2008/ ). Also known as “RPK”, he had been detained since 12 September under section 8 of the Internal Security Act (ISA), which permits detention without trial for two […]

(WiPC/IFEX) – The Writers in Prison Committee (WIPC) of International PEN protests the detention of Raja Petra Kamaruddin, founder and editor of the website Malaysia Today ( http://mt.m2day.org/2008 ), who was sentenced without trial to two years in prison on 22 September 2008 under the Internal Security Act (ISA) for his critical writings published online. […]

(SEAPA/IFEX) – Malaysia has sentenced a prominent blogger who had been charged under the tough Internal Security Act (ISA) to two years’ imprisonment, according to media reports. Malaysiakini.com reported that Home Minister Syed Hamid Albar signed a detention order for Raja Petra Kamarudin’s arrest on 22 September 2008. Malaysian law provides for indefinite renewal of […]

(SEAPA/IFEX) – Malaysian blogger Syed Azidi Syed Abdul Aziz, the second to be arrested in a week’s time, will be transferred to Kuala Lumpur for further investigation for allegedly posting seditious materials online, media reports said. Kelantan deputy police, Chief SAC II Amir Hamzah Hussin, said that Syed Azidi would be brought to the federal […]

(SEAPA/IFEX) – A prominent blogger, a journalist, and one opposition politician were arrested under Malaysia’s Internal Security Act (ISA) on 12 September 2008, in what media and activists are afraid may be the start of a wider crackdown ahead of an anticipated opposition push to gain control of parliament in the coming days. Malaysiakini.com, ( […]

(SEAPA/IFEX) – The Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ) and the Writers Alliance for Media Independence (WAMI) have urged the Malaysian government to hold consultations with public and civil society groups before instituting a mechanism that would potentially further restrict media freedom. The two media groups said, “The government’s announcement to set up a national media […]

(SEAPA/IFEX) – The following is a 3 September 2008 SEAPA capsule report: Journalists, photographers in Malaysia lack protection Cases of assaults and threats against journalists and photographers in Malaysia used to come and go quietly. It has become almost a tradition that mainstream print and broadcast media give minimal coverage to issues about the profession, […]

(CPJ/IFEX) – The following is a 29 August 2008 CPJ press release: Malaysian government blocks popular news site New York, August 29, 2008 – The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the Malaysian government’s censorship of the popular news Web site and blog Malaysia Today. The blocking represents the first time officials have violated the government’s […]

(SEAPA/IFEX) – In what media advocates say is a landmark development in Internet censorship in Malaysia, http://Malaysiakini.com has reported that, on 26 August, the Malaysian Communication and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) instructed major Internet Service Providers (ISPs) in Malaysia to immediately block access to Malaysia Today ( www.malaysia-today.net ), a popular political blog. As a result, […]

(SEAPA/IFEX) – Two news photographers were reportedly beaten by supporters of the Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR), or People’s Justice Party, on 16 August 2008. According to SEAPA partner the Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ), Mohamad Sairien Mohamad Nafiz, a photographer with the “New Straits Times Press” (NSTP) newspaper, was attacked by approximately 20 PKR supporters […]

(SEAPA/IFEX) – A Malaysian High Court has given popular blogger and website editor Raja Petra Kamarudin until 15 August 2008 to reveal the sources for three articles in his blog, “Malaysia Today”. The court has deemed the articles to be defamatory to a prominent lawyer. The court also ordered Kamarudin to reveal the identities of […]

(SEAPA/IFEX) – Malaysia-based media watchdog the Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ) protests the recent spate of arrests of bloggers for alleged violation of the Sedition Act. CIJ, a partner of SEAPA, described the Sedition Act as a “broadly worded” law which “gives the state a free hand in punishing any form of expression.” “Judging by […]

(SEAPA/IFEX) – Media watchdogs in Malaysia are denouncing the use of force against photojournalists by political parties’ security personnel during news events. The Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ), a SEAPA partner, and the Writers’ Alliance for Media Independence (WAMI) said in a statement: “The latest assault against a photojournalist by security personnel of the Parti […]