To blog or not to blog ? the Death of Press Freedom in Malaysia

Malaysia's traditional media has been ordered not to mention, quote or pursue stories exposed by bloggers and online news sites, which are emerging as a powerful new media force.

A security ministry circular dated March 13 told top editors of a dozen mainstream newspapers and five television stations that they must not "give any consideration whatsoever" to anti-government material posted online.

Ironically the circular, issued by the ministry's secretary general, was first exposed by the independent online magazine Malaysiakini.com on Saturday.

An academic, who declined to be named, told the website that the circular was a "pathetic" response to numerous exposes on the internet of high-level government corruption.

The internal security ministry periodically issues circulars to keep the media in line, especially on religion, race politics and sex, subjects considered sensitive by the government.

Under the Printing Presses and Publication Act all publications must apply for a yearly publishing permit.

The permit can be issued, refused or cancelled midway at the minister's sole discretion and the decision cannot be challenged in court.

Online practitioners were more amused than shocked by the circular.

"Bloggers are coming into their own ... they are helping to check bad journalism by asking the hard questions," said Steven Gan, Malaysiakini editor.

"They can treat us like pariahs but we are here to stay," said Raja Petra Kamaruddin, owner of the hugely popular Malaysia-Today website.

"The action will only whet the public's appetite and make us more popular," Kamaruddin said.

Despite its demand that editors ignore internet reports, even the government itself has been forced to respond to online accusations, last month ordering an investigation into an anti-corruption official who was accused by an online publication of graft.

Last week Tourism Minister Tengku Adnan simply labelled bloggers liars.

"They like to spread rumours, they don't like national unity," he had said. He later apologised.

On Saturday Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak denied as "lies" recent online stories that his "days are numbered" because his relationship with Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi had soured.

"Don't believe the lies," he told his constituents in central Pahang state. "They are all cerita dongeng [myths]."

On one hand the government appears intolerant to criticism from bloggers and on the other hand it vigorously pursues a policy to get to every citizen connected with wireless broadband. It has also refused to attempt to censor the internet itself.

"Some of our politicians seem incapable of handling criticism [on the internet]," said Wong Chun Wai, editor of the mass circulation The Star daily in his weekly column.

"It's a new world but it is still not too late for them to check out the blogosphere," Wong said tongue in cheek.

-By Baradan Kuppusamy
South China Morning Post


CIJ - Respect editorial independence and media freedom

The Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ) is alarmed with the Ministry of Internal Security's public admission that it routinely interferes with editorial independence of mainstream media.

On March 17, the national news agency BERNAMA quoted the deputy internal security minister Fu Ah Kiow who said that he sometimes call up editors to "remind the media concerned when sensitive issues are published". The deputy minister reportedly made the statement during a dinner function with the media.

On the same day online news site Malaysiakini.com also reported that the Ministry sent a circular to all mainstream press warning them not to quote "anti-government articles" from blogs and online portals.

According to Malaysiakini.com, the letter dated 13 March warned newspapers that they could undermine national stability by publishing speculative articles from Internet. The papers were also reminded of the Printing Presses and Publication Act (PPPA) and that they must follow the directives from the ministry. Under the PPPA, the internal security minister can revoke the yearly publication permit of a newspaper anytime.

Deputy Minister Fu Ah Kiow could not be reached for comment while his aide Alex Teh Yeow Ming declined when contacted by CIJ.

By restricting editorial independence, the government is increasingly moving away from its goal of openness and transparency. It is now seen to be hiding something and is restricting Malaysians who are without Internet access from getting the information. The deputy minister's admission shows the seriousness of government's disregard to media freedom at the expense of the public.

CIJ urges the government to repeal the (PPPA) and respect editorial independence as one of the component of people's right to freedom of expression. Imposing secrecy and media blackout will cause the government to lose its credibility and the trust of the people.

The Centre for Independent Journalism, Malaysia (CIJ) is a media organization that aims to improve current Malaysian journalism practice and independence through advocacy, research and analysis, training and practical work. Started in 2001, CIJ has initiated various projects in developing grassroots communications skills through training, infrastructural support and direct action.


Issued by

Sonia Randhawa
Executive Director

Aliran - The guided Press and fettered freedom

Aliran is appalled that all the top editors of the mainstream newspapers in the country have been recently directed by the Ministry of Internal Security not to cite and publish “anti-government articles” from online portals and blogs.

This directive is nothing but a glaring and deplorable state intervention in the daily affairs of the editorial management of the newspapers concerned. In doing so, the government is shamelessly forcing the mainstream media to practise excessive self-censorship and ‘cue journalism’ rather than be concerned with investigative journalism, which among other things exposes corruption, wastage, abuse of power and violations of human rights.

The thinly-veiled threat that accompanies this directive is likely to be taken seriously by most if not all of the newspaper editors given the powers that are conferred on the Minister concerned by the Printing Presses and Publications Act. This worrying development signals a further regression of press freedom in Malaysia under an administration that ironically promises to be transparent and accountable. This move by the government negates all the inspiring platitudes that have been voiced in defence of democratic values and the declared fight against corruption.

Equally serious is the negative implication on online portals and blogs as a whole because this directive is intended to tarnish them with one stroke of the pen, giving the impression that blogs and portals are by definition ‘anti-government’, reckless, irresponsible, sensational, without any respect for the truth.

But discerning Malaysians would recall that if not for these online portals and blogs, the various scandals that have been exposed would not have seen the light of day. The recent exposes were the direct result of these online portals and blogs that highlighted alleged corruption and abuse of power in high places involving a deputy minister and the Director General of the Anti Corruption Agency.

The government’s attempt to muzzle and shackle the mainstream media only confirms the suspicion that the recent ‘exposes’ of these financial scandals by some blogs and portals might have embarrassed and indeed irked the powers-that-be. To prevent any further ventilation of other corrupt practices, it seems, the government is tightening the screws and forcing the media to be docile and impotent.

If their contention that these bloggers are out to create unnecessary ill-feelings towards the government is true, then it begs the question why did the authorities take the blogsphere seriously when a few websites and blogs highlighted allegations of corruption against the ACA chief Zulkipli Mat Noor and Internal Security Deputy Minister Mohd Johari Baharum? If anything, these blogs and websites did this out of sheer recognition of their social responsibility that demands that the media are there to inform, educate, act as a check and balance, and to hold the government accountable for its conduct.

In all earnestness, we urge the Internal Security Ministry to withdraw this absurd directive as it not only makes a mockery of Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi’s purported commitment to transparency and his declared wish to work in tandem with the people, but also goes against the very notion of an open, democratic and progressive society.


Dr Mustafa K Anuar & Anil Netto

Coordinators

Charter2000-Aliran

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Screenshot : Verify before quoting websites and blogs, MSM told