Press group denounces closure threats against five Malaysian papers
KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 8 (AFP)
Media watchdog Reporters Sans Frontieries Friday criticised threats of closure made against five private Malaysian newspapers and warned of a violation of press freedom.
The Paris-based group said it had sent a letter to Malaysian Deputy Premier and Home Affairs Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to express its concern.
Five newspapers, including some close to opposition parties, were threatened by the home affairs ministry with the withdrawal of their publishing permits which could lead to closure, Reporters Sans Frontieries said in a statement received here.
The biweekly Harakah, the organ of the opposition Parti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS), was banned from news stands last month and given until January 8 to limit its sales to party members only, it said.
The ministry also announced it would "investigate thoroughly" before renewing the permit of the private bimonthly Detik, the group said.
The director of Detik was accused by authorities of failing to respect the conditions of his permit and was also reproached for appointing a chief editor who was not favourable to the government, it said.
Reporters Sans Frontieries said the ministry had also last month warned two monthlies, Wasilah and Tamadun, that they could face sanctions if they did not respect the conditions of their licences.
Wasilah did not publish its full name -- Al Wasilah -- as stipulated in the permit while Tamadun was accused of supporting opposition parties.
The Eksklusif newspaper received a warning letter two weeks after the November 29 general election which accused its journalists of "spreading rumours."
The group condemned "any pressure on the private media" and said the closure of one of those newspapers would "constitute a grave violation of press freedom."
It urged the minister to ensure that the publication licenses of the five newspapers were not withdrawn and to "liberalise the press laws, for example the Printing Press and Publications Act which requires newspapers to renew their publishing licences annually."