Malaysia

(SEAPA/IFEX) – Free speech groups in Malaysia are protesting the verbal attacks from government leaders that have forced a research organisation to retract its report on current economic conditions in the country. The report by the Asian Strategy and Leadership Institute (ASLI) under its Centre for Public Policy Studies (CPPS) had been submitted to the […]

(SEAPA/IFEX) – The Kuala Lumpur-based Centre for Independent Journalism is concerned over the police visit to the office of the independent web-based daily, “Malaysiakini”, on 8 August 2006. The police claim “Malaysiakini” has defamed them by alleging police involvement in a pepper-spray attack on former premier Mahathir Mohamad. Four police officers, including one from the […]

(SEAPA/IFEX) – The Malaysian government is threatening action against the mass media should they continue discussing race and religion. In a press statement on 28 July 2006, Information Minister Zainuddin Maidin warned editors that Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi would not tolerate discussion on such matters. Zainuddin’s threat comes two days after the premier ordered […]

(SEAPA/IFEX) – Malaysian rights advocates are sounding the alarm over a perceived trend toward tightening restrictions on free speech and free expression in the country. The Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ) notes that the Malaysian Cabinet has recently instructed the media not to report on issues of race and religion. At the same time, the […]

(ARTICLE 19/IFEX) – The following is an 18 July 2006 joint ARTICLE 19 and CIJ press release: ARTICLE 19 and CIJ Urge Malaysian Parliament to Amend the Press Council Bill Today, ARTICLE 19 and the Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ) launch ARTICLE 19’s legal analysis of Malaysia’s Press Council Bill. The analysis concludes that some […]

(SEAPA/IFEX) – A coalition of media advocates and civil society groups is protesting a government move ordering a popular Chinese-language radio call-in program to revamp its format and content after it aired listeners’ views that were deemed inappropriate. On 24 June 2006, Malaysia’s Ministry of Information ordered the program, “The Mic Is On, With Love, […]

(ARTICLE 19/IFEX) – The following is a 10 July 2006 ARTICLE 19 press release: Malaysia: 18 Books banned for disrupting peace and harmony ARTICLE 19 strongly condemns the Malaysian authorities’ banning of 18 books over the last month on the grounds that they may ‘disrupt peace and harmony’. Six of these books were printed in […]

(SEAPA/IFEX) – Malaysia’s Ministry of Internal Security has banned 18 books on Islam and religion for their alleged potential to “disrupt peace and harmony”. The ban was ordered in accordance with the Printing Presses and Publications Act of 1984, which prohibits the reproduction or distribution of materials that disrupt peace and harmony. The banned books […]

(SEAPA/IFEX) – A journalist working with Malaysia’s Chinese-language online publication, MerdekaReview.com, was assaulted by police while he was covering a peaceful demonstration in Kuala Lumpur on 28 May 2006. Lim Hong Siang was kicked by a policeman before identifying himself as a journalist, according to Malaysia’s independent media advocacy group, the Centre for Independent Journalism […]

(SEAPA/IFEX) – A Tamil-language daily, “Makkal Osai”, has received phone calls from individuals threatening to burn down its offices and legal notice of defamation suits after publishing reports revealing “controversial” comments allegedly made by a cabinet minister. S.M. Periasamy, group general manager of Makkal Osai Group, said he received anonymous telephone calls on 18 and […]

(SEAPA/IFEX) – Malaysia’s mainstream press self-censored its coverage of recent public protests against fuel price hikes to avoid courting government’s disapproval and a possible “selective” crackdown, says SEAPA. At least two peaceful protests held outside the headquarters of the national oil company Petronas in Kuala Lumpur on 11 and 26 March 2006 were dispersed by […]

(SEAPA/IFEX) – The following is a statement from the Centre for Independent Journalism, SEAPA’s local partner in Malaysia: The Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ) wishes to express deep concern and dismay that the “New Straits Times” (NST), one of the region’s oldest and most well-established newspapers, was issued a show-cause letter from the Internal Security […]

(SEAPA/IFEX) – The following is a 22 February 2006 statement by the Centre for Independent Journalism, SEAPA’s partner in Malaysia: The Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ) is concerned over the actions taken against undergraduate students of Universiti Sains Malaysia in Penang for expressing their opinions on critical issues, including those that challenge the validity of […]

(SEAPA/IFEX) – The following is a 16 February 2006 statement by the Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ), SEAPA’s partner in Malaysia: The CIJ is deeply concerned about the two-week suspension issued to Guang Ming Ribao Sendirian Berhad, the publisher of the newspaper “Guang Ming Daily” afternoon edition. The suspension followed closely on the heels of […]

(SEAPA/IFEX) – The following is a statement issued by the Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ), SEAPA’s local partner in Malaysia: The Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ) is deeply concerned about the indefinite suspension of East Malaysian daily “Sarawak Tribune”, following its decision to reprint Danish cartoons of the Prophet Muhammed on 4 February 2006. The […]

(SEAPA/IFEX) – Malaysia’s independent media advocacy group, the Center for Independent Journalism (CIJ), has expressed concerns that authorities may revoke the printing license of a local Chinese-language newspaper, “China Press”, over its recent headline which referred to the nationality of an abused detainee in a controversial video clip. CIJ cited a recent report in a […]