(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) – 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 police but these incidents received little attention from the mainstream press.
The demonstrations, organised by the Malaysian Trades Union Congress and a coalition of non-governmental organisations and opposition parties, were held to protest the government’s decision to increase the price of fuel by 30 sen (approx. US$0.08) per liter.
Independent media monitors in Malaysia told SEAPA that although the mainstream media were aware of these incidents, some of them chose not to allot space or air time to them, while others gave the protests little prominence. News about the dispersal was found in the online news daily “Malaysiakini” and a very brief article on an inside page of “The Sun” daily.
Twenty-two people, including a nine-year old girl, were arrested and scores were injured when police beat demonstrators with batons on 26 March. Those arrested were released on bail later that day.
On 11 March, anti-riot police squads were called in to break up the illegal demonstrations. They used water cannons and canes to disperse the crowd, brought in dogs and rode horses into crowds of protesters including children.
The media’s deliberate avoidance of politically-sensitive issues comes on the heels of the suspension of two newspapers in Malaysia that had reprinted the controversial cartoons featuring the Prophet Mohammad in a bad light, which had caused a furor in Denmark that spread to other countries in Europe.
