Malaysia plunged 10 notches in the 2010 World Press Freedom Index.

Malaysia has plunged 10 notches to 141 in the 2010 World Press Freedom Index - the lowest in nine years - putting it firmly in the bottom quarter of 178 countries.

The country failed to capitalise on last year's improvement where it moved up one notch from 132 to 131.

The issues which have perhaps affected Malaysia's poor ranking include the Malaysian Communication and Multimedia Commission's investigation into Malaysiakini's cow-head video, the arrests of bloggers and the ban on a number of books by cartoonist Zunar.

Interestingly, Singapore (136) outranked Malaysia for the first time since Paris-based press watchdog group Reporters Without Borders (RSF) began releasing its ranking in 2002.

Among the 10 Asean countries, Malaysia is ranked higher than two countries which are deemed to have freer press - Thailand (153) and Philippines (156).

RSF has attributed this to political violence.

“Thailand - where two journalists were killed and some 15 wounded while covering the army crackdown on the 'red shirts' movement in Bangkok – lost 23 places,” said RSF, which issued its ninth annual index today.

“The Philippines lost 34 places following the massacre of over 30 reporters by partisans of one of Mindanao island's governors.”

(Read more here)

Malaysia - many popular news sites are still struggling to stay in the black..

By TEO CHENG WEE
The Straits Times
Singapore, Friday 26 August 2010

Online journalism may be booming in Malaysia, drawing many readers from traditional print media, but staying profitable is another story altogether.

With intense competition and business models that are still being worked out, many popular news sites are still struggling to stay in the black.

Recently, one of Malaysia's top news websites became the first major casualty.

The Nut Graph, which was launched with much fanfare in 2008, has said it is scaling down operations at the end of this month and retrenching staff. Making an announcement last month, editor Jacqueline Ann Surin cited financial difficulties to explain its move.

Starting next month, The Nut Graph will publish only once a week instead of five times, and focus mostly on columns and commentaries from contributors, rather than news or features.

The Nut Graph's financial struggles have been no secret. Launched with a start-up cost of RM2 million, the website has not turned in a profit, and with funds running low, even had to seek public donations to keep going.

"The expectation of online journalism is that it needs to be super-fast with a high turnover of stories. In order to do that, you need a fairly large team which costs more money," said Surin, a former journalist with local dailies The Star and The Sun.

The Nut Graph business model, she said, was simply not sustainable.

A similar story can be heard at some of the other news websites.

Top news website Malaysiakini, for instance, is the oldest and only website that charges subscription. Even then, the 10-year-old site is making only a small profit, said its editor Steven Gan.

Similarly, the chief executive of The Malaysian Insider, another well-read site, said earlier this week that it was still in the red. Internet advertising, he said, covers only half its costs.

Still, such financial challenges have not stopped newcomers like Malaysian Mirror, Free Malaysia Today and Malaysian Digest from joining the fray in the past year.

News websites have surged in popularity here in the past two years, in the wake of the 2008 general election, as Malaysians flocked online for what they felt was more independent news, at the same time shunning mainstream newspapers which many felt were overly pro-government.

But analysts say that in an increasingly crowded cyberspace, packed with stories of varying quality, more has not proven to be better.

Political analyst Farish Noor noted that there has been a tendency for news websites to overlap and cover the same news, resulting in a 'somewhat shallow consensus of opinion'.

There is also frequent speculation that some websites have hidden political backers, which would explain the ability to absorb financial losses in exchange for online influence.

"After the last general election, people realized that the Internet is a powerful medium. It is possible that politicians and business tycoons will pay for a stake in online media," Gan said.

While some of these news websites have sometimes been criticized for running stories with clear slants, he felt it was up to readers 'to decide how much weight they can put on them and what to believe in'.

Both Gan and Farish see the scaling down of The Nut Graph, which has built up a credible reputation, as a blow to online journalism in Malaysia.

More websites are likely to come up to take its place, but Farish believes that those with agendas will not be able to hoodwink readers for long.

"The public can see through any slant, and that only robs these organizations, and the journalists who work for them, of their credibility," he said.

(Source)

Government closes opposition newspaper "Suara Keadilan"

Malaysia has shut down publication of a newspaper run by the political party of opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim.

The Home Ministry says it won't renew the permit for "Suara Keadilan", after a report in the paper which claimed a government agency had gone bankrupt.

Keadilan MP Tian Chua says it's an unacceptable assault on press freedom.

"The ban just reflects the intolerance and the repressive nature of the ruling regime. It is something that has been going on quite a while, where relations - press freedoms is one of the worst in Asia, and the fact that they are banning the major opposition's newspaper is again proving that the government has no respect for press freedom."

The Home Ministry, which oversees Malaysia's newspapers, said it will not renew Suara Keadilan's permit -- which expired on Wednesday -- as it was not satisfied with the paper's explanation for the allegedly inaccurate report.

"A letter will be issued to inform the printer that it is not allowed to print until a decision is made on the renewal of its permit," the ministry said in a statement posted on its website late Thursday. The opposition vowed to defy the ban.

Malaysia's mainstream media is largely government-linked, and the opposition relies on its own press, as well as Internet news sites and blogs, to communicate with the public.

Reporters Without Borders ranks Malaysia 131 out of 175 on its worldwide press freedom index last year, and says the mainstream media is "often compelled to ignore or to play down the many events organised by the opposition".

Msia press still 'not free' !

Malaysia moved up two notches to 141 on the annual Freedom House press freedom ranking of 196 countries, but remains in the bottom 32 percent of countries which fall under “not free” category.

Malaysia shares its placing with Algeria and Zambia.

The top 10 nations comprise of Finland, Iceland , Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Belgium, Luxembourg, Andorra, Switzerland and Liechtenstein.

On the opposite end, the bottom five countries are Eritrea (ranked 192), Libya (192), Burma (194), Turkmenistan (194) and North Korea (196).

Regionally, there was little change to the rankings as Malaysia remains behind neighbours Phillippines (ranked 97), Indonesia (107), Thailand (124) and Cambodia (134).Singapore at 151.

Freedom House placed Phillippines, Indonesia and Thailand under the “partly free” category.

Freedom House is a international democratic freedoms advocacy group based in Washington, DC. The rankings were released today in conjunction with May 3 international Press Freedom Day.

(Source)

Permit for Anwar's party PKR paper approved

The Malaysian government plans to give opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim's political party a permit to start its own newspaper as part of reforms to allow more press freedom, according to The Star Online.

Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar is promising more press freedom and one of his first acts was to approve the publishing permit for the Parti Keadilan Rakyat newspaper.

"I've just approved the (People's Justice Party) newspaper and I asked my officers 'why not.' I am open about it," he was quoted as saying.

“All political parties have their own papers. It’s their party paper. We have not cancelled the licences of any party newspaper,” he added.

Syed Hamid said he had also told his Home Ministry officials to re-look the annual licensing requirement for newspapers.

“I have told my officers that I want to have a re-look at the Printing Presses and Publications Act so that we can move with the times.

“I have asked them to look for other ways of managing the media other than issuing the annual licences,” he added.

Asked what was his view on the annual licensing, Syed Hamid said:

“I have not discussed it with the Cabinet. My view is that we should issue licences only once (upon application).

“That way, we will have the right to suspend but you don’t have to renew every year. That is one of the things I’ve been toying with.

“My argument is why should we let ourselves become unpopular by having such regulations when we had exercised the law sparingly over the years but I need to convince more (people).”

Asked about the now banned Tamil daily Makkal Osai, Syed Hamid said it was not his personal decision but one done after a lengthy observation of the way the newspaper operated.

“They breached various guidelines that are stipulated in the publication permit,” he added.






CIJ "Send Emails to Save Makkal Osai!"

Dear friends,

While today's papers hailed as the step forward the Prime Minister's
speech in restoring the judiciary and bringing to a close the sacking
of Tun Salleh Abbas and other eminent judges, the fact is the
government is still in its old state! The abrupt banning of Tamil
Makkal Osai proves the high-handed, non-transparent and
non-consultative manner in the administration is yet to be cracked!

Let's all of us send an email to Syed Hamid Albar, the new minister of
home affairs urging him to lift the ban on Makkal Osai and explain on
what basis it breached the guidelines. Stop him from his total
discretionary power over press freedom and the people's right to
information!

You can send an email with just the following subject line to the
Minister's PA (Intan) and CC to us so we can follow up.

"Explain why you denied the permit and lift the ban on Makkal Osai"

To: intan@moha.gov.my
CC: gayathry@cijmalaysia.org

Your email can do a lot for the cause of press freedom.

CIJ

Press freedom in Malaysia and Indonesia

The Malaysian information minister's lash out at the Indonesian media's apparent aggressiveness in reporting Malaysia-Indonesia ties were thorny seems to have backfired.

The statement by the minister has in fact further strained an already icy relationship between the so-called big brother and her alleged arrogant neighbor.

This diplomatic boo-boo all but extinguishes the quiet diplomatic efforts by Malaysia's Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak just one week before.

Malaysian mainstream media had splashed news of the exchanges of Malaysian journalist to Indonesian news agencies in an attempt to soften the perceived Malaysia bashing by the Indonesian media.

As if part of a complete package on damage control between the two countries, an UMNO-Golkar meeting had concluded, on the establishment of a joint committee, to this year actively revitalize bilateral relations in the spirit of an Umno-Golkar memorandum of understanding signed earlier. The MoU was ceremoniously witnessed by Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi.

All that effort seems diminished by this latest scurry of attacks on Indonesia's empowered press.

The reverse effect seems to have overtaken events with Malaysians themselves, lamenting on the limited freedom of the press and the emasculation of its news agencies.

The Malaysian information minister's remarks have elicited a heated counterblast from Malaysia's lively blogs.

The bloggers are now in combat mode ahead of imminent elections and were quick to point out to the Minister that his powers over Indonesia were none and Malaysia's media should be allowed to uphold its sacred journalistic duty to expose the truth and provide the check and balances essential to democracy.

The problem in Malaysia is not that you can't say what you want, its just that you have no where to say it.

The mainstream media -- be it broadcast television or radio stations, even the print media -- are all owned by the Government or the major component parties of the ruling Coalition (Barisan Nasional).

Malaysians often read between the lines when trying to make sense of the current political scenario. They turn toward popular news blogs like Malaysia Today to get the real news.

Even local journalists have been cautioned by the minister not to refer to breaking news posted on blogs or carried by the internet.

This should have been enough to draw attention to futile attempts to silence the voices of the Malaysian people.

The Indonesian media's enfranchisement is the envy of Malaysians. No one wants a restricted press here. The Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984, severely circumscribes the professionalism of local journalists and media advocates.

The requirement to annually obtain a license for publication saw, for example, the Malaysian Catholic Newspaper, The Herald put at knife-edge over its controversial use of the word 'Allah' to denote God.

More than a theological debate, this was a challenge by the new media against the old media.

Angry comments by Muslims and non-Muslims alike spurred by bloggers are posted all over the internet and seem to gravitate around the issue of the restraint over the freedom of the press in Malaysia.

It appears Malaysian voters will have their say. Former Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's interview by CK Andy on his talk show K! broadcasted by news agency Metro TV, was as not widely known of here, until the sensational statements made by the Malaysian information minister.

Former prime minister Anwar Ibrahim's views are sought-after here because he dares speak up against the status quo.

While many Malaysians may still do not trust the former deputy premier, his opinions on Malaysian politics and world views on Islam, which is courted by the foreign media, is then mostly reproduced in blogs in the Malaysian blogosphere or hurriedly downloaded on "You Tube".

It is perhaps this very repression of the functions of the local press and the lack of privilege to address the mainstream media in Kuala Lumpur that will eventually lend more popularity to Anwar Ibrahim.

Perhaps the treatment of Malaysia's fallen son is not as shocking as that of former political strongman and architect of modern Malaysia, Dr. Mahathir Mohamad.

The feisty veteran politician has hit back at the current administration by calling it a police state.

Mahathir himself has had to bet on the new media which has been thrilled to reproduce his attacks and perspectives on Malaysian and global issues.

Dr. Mahathir and the new media appear to have had quite an impact on the discontented rumblings of the electorate on the ground.

The information minister, now having riled up the Indonesian media and having failed to garner much support from the Rakyat or citizens of Malaysia, must attempt to diffuse the tension.

If the Indonesian press, as he claims, has prophetic influences over the Indonesian people, then perhaps he should consider a more amicable tone when dealing with the press in Jakarta.

An apology could well serve to enhance diplomatic efforts and dispel the stigma of the "Ugly Malaysian".

Ordinary Malaysians have not an iota of disdain for their "Saudara" in Indonesia. The contentious issues that underlie tensions could be more effectively dealt with through greater diplomatic sensibility and friendliness.

The minister's failure to extend a formal apology could cause a bandwagon effect as an upshot from his ill-advised criticism of the media in Indonesia.

As the religious and ethnic commonality that bonds Muslim-Malaysians to their Indonesian kin thin out, the Malaysian minister of information will have to bear greater responsibility for his actions.

By :Imran Yacob

The writer is a trained lawyer based in Kuala Lumpur. He can be contacted at imran.yacob@gmail.com.

Malaysia down in press freedom index

Ministerial "advice" to media tantamount to interference

The Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ) questions the Information Minister Zainuddin Maidin's "advice" to news editors not to play up news that put the government in the bad light. CIJ finds the advice by the Minister alarming as he continues to show little regard for press freedom and the role of the media in a democracy.

On 12 October, quoting sources, Malaysiakini.com reported Zainuddin as telling editors that the media need not report the truth, especially news that cast a negative light on the government. This was because the Prime Minister's pledge to hear the truth applied only among government officials. He told them at a special meeting that he would, under the instruction of the Prime Minister, give similar advice to the press regularly.

CIJ views such controls over the media as subverting their functions in informing society. It also goes against the journalists' code of ethics not to report issues of public concern, especially where it involves the government and public officials. Zainuddin's advice strongly suggests that he would not like to see the press to play the role of a watchdog. This is also against the principles of democracy in which governments should be open to people's scrutiny via a free press.

It is also questionable how limiting the task of "telling the truth" to government officials will be effective when the mass media does not function as a channel between the people and the government.

Zainuddin's advice to the press is at the expense of the people, who have the right to free press and information. We call upon the Minister to stop interfering in the press and to appreciate it as a valuable tool to improve public governance and accountability.

CIJ advocates the following to promote press freedom and freedom of expression in Malaysia:

* the repealing of the Printing Presses and Publication Act 1984
* the establishment of a Parliamentary Select Committee on Media Freedom
* the improvement of journalism practices through adherence to code of ethics



Ends

Issued by

Gayathry Venkiteswaran
Executive Director

********************************************

The Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ) notes with concern Malaysia's drastic drop in this year's Press Freedom Index by Reporters Without Borders (RSF), in which the country now ranked at 124, a drop of 32 places from year 2006 where it occupied the 92nd spot. It is worrying to note that the decline has been precedented by an improvement in the 2006 index, in which Malaysia climbed up 21 notches from 2005.

However, CIJ agrees with the RSF's observation in its annual report about Malaysia, and our monitoring reveals a consistent trend in the following areas;


* the harassment of bloggers through police detention, questioning, defamation suit, as well as warning by the country's top leadership.
* constant interference by the Executive in editorial decisions, now in the form of official letters to editors from the Ministry of Internal Security and other verbal "advice"
* limiting certain topics, deemed sensitive to the administration, such as race and religion, corruption in the higher echelons, and the secular/Islamic state debate from public discussions through government directives to the media and the public.

The Index by RSF affirms our position that the administration of Abdullah Ahmad Badawi still has a long way to go to realizing its pledge for more openness and transparency. We recommend the following actions be taken immediately to arrest the declining levels of press freedom in the country;

* set up a parliamentary select committee on media freedom with a view, among others, towards repealing the Printing Presses and the Publications Act 1984
* stop Executive interference in editorial decisions
* stop using national security laws, such as the Sedition Act, Internal Security Act and Official Secrets Act, which are widely criticized for being extremely broad-worded, against bloggers.

Issued by
Gayathry Venkiteswaran
Executive Director


Bloggers now threatened as much as journalists in traditional media.

The Internet is occupying more and more space in the breakdown of press freedom violations. Several countries fell in the ranking this year because of serious, repeated violations of the free flow of online news and information.

In Malaysia (124th), Thailand (135th), Vietnam (162nd) and Egypt (146th), for example, bloggers were arrested and news websites were closed or made inaccessible. “We are concerned about the increase in cases of online censorship,” Reporters Without Borders said. “More and more governments have realised that the Internet can play a key role in the fight for democracy and they are establishing new methods of censoring it. The governments of repressive countries are now targeting bloggers and online journalists as forcefully as journalists in the traditional media.”

At least 64 persons are currently imprisoned worldwide because of what they posted on the Internet. China maintains its leadership in this form of repression, with a total of 50 cyber-dissidents in prison. Eight are being held in Vietnam. A young man known as Kareem Amer was sentenced to four years in prison in Egypt for blog posts criticising the president and Islamist control of the country’s universities.

Reporters Without Borders compiled this index by sending a questionnaire to the 15 freedom of expression organisations throughout the world that are its partners, to its network of 130 correspondents, and to journalists, researchers, jurists and human rights activists. It contained 50 questions about press freedom in their countries. The index covers 169 nations. Other countries were not included because of lack of data.

The ranking

1 Iceland
- Norway
3 Estonia
- Slovakia
5 Belgium
- Finland
- Sweden
8 Denmark
- Ireland
- Portugal
11 Switzerland
12 Latvia
- Netherlands
14 Czech Republic
16 Austria
17 Hungary
18 Canada
19 Trinidad and Tobago
20 Germany
21 Costa Rica
- Slovenia
23 Lithuania
24 United Kingdom
25 Mauritius
- Namibia
27 Jamaica
28 Australia
29 Ghana
30 Greece
31 France
32 Taiwan
33 Spain
34 Bosnia and Herzegovina
35 Italy
36 Macedonia
37 Japan
- Uruguay
39 Chile
- South Korea
41 Croatia
43 South Africa
44 Israel (Israeli territory)
45 Cape Verde
- Cyprus
47 Nicaragua
48 United States of America
49 Togo
50 Mauritania
51 Bulgaria
52 Mali
53 Benin
54 Panama
55 Tanzania
56 Ecuador
- Poland
58 Cyprus (North)
Montenegro
60 Kosovo
61 Hong-Kong
- Madagascar
63 Kuwait
64 El Salvador
65 United Arab Emirates
66 Georgia
67 Serbia
68 Bolivia
- Burkina Faso
- Zambia
71 Central African Republic
72 Dominican Republic
73 Mozambique
74 Mongolia
75 Botswana
- Haiti
77 Armenia
78 Kenya
79 Qatar
80 Congo
81 Moldova
82 Argentina
83 Senegal
84 Brazil
85 Cambodia
- Liberia
87 Albania
- Honduras
- Niger
90 Paraguay
91 Angola
92 Malawi
- Ukraine
94 Côte d’Ivoire
- Timor-Leste
96 Comoros
- Uganda
98 Lebanon
99 Lesotho
100 Indonesia
101 Turkey
102 Gabon
103 Israel (extra-territorial)
104 Guatemala
- Seychelles
106 Morocco
107 Fiji
- Guinea
- Guinea-Bissau
110 Kyrgyzstan
111 Cameroon
- United States of America (extra-territorial)
113 Chad
114 Venezuela
115 Tajikistan
116 Bhutan
117 Peru
118 Bahrain
119 Tonga
120 India
121 Sierra Leone
122 Jordan
123 Algeria
124 Malaysia
125 Kazakhstan
126 Colombia
127 Burundi
128 Philippines
129 Maldives
130 Gambia
131 Nigeria
132 Djibouti
133 Democratic Republic of Congo
134 Bangladesh
135 Thailand
136 Mexico
137 Nepal
138 Swaziland
139 Azerbaijan
140 Sudan
141 Singapore
142 Afghanistan
143 Yemen
144 Russia
145 Tunisia
146 Egypt
147 Rwanda
148 Saudi Arabia
149 Zimbabwe
150 Ethiopia
151 Belarus
152 Pakistan
153 Equatorial Guinea
154 Syria
155 Libya
156 Sri Lanka
157 Iraq
158 Palestinian Territories
159 Somalia
160 Uzbekistan
161 Laos
162 Vietnam
163 China
164 Burma
165 Cuba
166 Iran
167 Turkmenistan
168 North Korea
169 Eritrea

Read also Malaysiakini's :" Drastic drop for Malaysia in press freedom ranking"

Malaysia fell drastically by 32 spots to 124 in the latest worldwide press freedom ranking index released by Paris-based watchdog Reporters sans Frontieres (RSF, Reporters Without Borders).

RPK - You Will Never Walk Alone !

The road is long, with many a winding turn
That lead us to who knows where, who knows where?
But I’m strong, strong enough to carry you
You ain’t heavy - you’re my brother
So on we go, your welfare is my concern
no burden are you to bear, we’ll get there
For I know you would not encumber me
You ain’t heavy - you’re my brother
If I’m leaving at all, I’m leaving with sadness
that everyone’s heart isn’t filled with the gladness
of love for one another.
It’s a long, long road, from which there is no return
While we’re on the way to there, why not share?
And the load doesn’t way me down at all
You ain’t heavy - you’re my brother

- Haris Ibrahim, The People’s Parliament

Raja Petra summoned to Dang Wangi 11.00am today

Malaysia Today

Raja Petra Kamarudin has been summoned to the Dang Wangi Police Station, Jalan Staduim, at 11.00am today (25 July 2007) for his statement to be recorded with regards to the police report made by the Umno Information Chief. It is believed a second police report has also been made with regards to the article Raja Petra wrote called ‘See you in hell Muhamad son of Muhamad’.


Meanwhile, Raja Petra Kamarudin has expressed his ‘thanks’ to Umno for the millions of hits that his website Malaysia Today has received over the past two days.

The Malaysia Today webmaster cheekily said the number of visitors to his website have doubled since a police report was lodged against him. (Malaysiakini)


Police summoned a Malaysian political writer for interrogation Wednesday over Web articles lambasting the government, after a minister warned that bloggers could be jailed without trial for writing recklessly about sensitive matters such as religion.

Raja Petra Kamarudin, who runs the independent news site Malaysia Today, was told to surrender to police after the ruling United Malays National organisation filed a complaint Monday claiming his articles mocked Islam and threatened racial harmony in this multiethnic, mostly Muslim nation, said opposition activist Ronnie Liu.

The party, which helms Malaysia's governing coalition, urged police to act against Raja Petra, who is known for frequently slamming Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and other prominent figures over issues including alleged corruption and cronyism.

Police officials and Raja Petra could not immediately be contacted. On Monday, Raja Petra said he would "fight back on the Internet," claiming the government wants to shut his popular website and have him arrested.

Many leading Malaysian websites and blogs offer political commentaries that sometimes slam government policies, prompting calls from officials for tighter controls. Political parties in Abdullah's government coalition control much of Malaysia's traditional media.

Malaysia's de facto law minister, Nazri Abdul Aziz, said late Tuesday the government was drafting new laws for bloggers and would not hesitate to use existing regulations such as the Internal Security Act _ which allows for detention without trial _ against bloggers who insult Islam or stir sensitive topics, the national news agency Bernama reported.

"I want to issue a warning that the time has come for us to take action against them," Bernama quoted Nazri as saying. "This is not aimed at eliminating the freedom of speech but to wipe out the freedom to cheat, defame and hurt people, so that blogs can really be a source of correct information ... (and) not a platform to hurl abuses at people."

Worries about online freedom mounted after officials earlier this month said they were probing Tian Chua, an opposition politician, for possible slander after he posted a fake photo on his blog linking Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak to a high-profile murder.

Separately, a Malaysian blogger, Nathaniel Tan, was held by police for five days last week over comments posted on his website linking a deputy minister to corruption. Tan claimed his detention was meant to strike fear among government critics.

Raja Petra is expected to be investigated for sedition, which carries a maximum prison term of three years and a fine for offenders.



Umno Youth Hails Action Against Errant Bloggers

The Umno Youth movement said it fully supports the government's move to act against webmasters and bloggers who flouted the law and belittled the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

Its Economic Bureau chief Datuk Reezal Merican Naina Merican said although they were free to voice their opinions, they should do so responsibly.

"Those found guilty of insulting the king must be brought to justice," he said.

---

Citizens In Solidarity with Raja Petra and Freedom of Speech !

To: The Government of Malaysia

Citizens In Solidarity with Raja Petra and Freedom of Speech !

Bloggers United ! Malaysian Citizens United ! Supporters of Freedom of Speech United !

We, hereby, Malaysian Citizens, the Boss of the Malaysian Government demand to be given the Freedom of Speech and Discussion.

We call for the government to respect the Malaysian Constitution in Freedom of Speech.

We protest against the formation of similar draconian, non-transparent, oppressive acts that undermine the freedom of the cyberspace such as certain sections of ISA, OSA, SA, UUCA and PPPA.

We protest the action against Raja Petra Kamaruddin, who is one of the Top 20 Asian Progressive, a Towering Malay Malaysian. We, Malaysian Citizens see it as a way government to clampdown on bloggers, cyberspace and freedom of speech !

Link:
http://www.worldbusinesslive.com/search/article/655151/top-20-asian-progressives/

We do not find any writings of Raja Petra Kamaruddin offensive. We protest any potential attempts to close down Malaysia Today, an avenue for freedom of speech !

We call the Malaysian government to not emulate China's Communist control on cyberspace !

We call the Malaysian government to investigate the corruption allegations supported by documents provided in Malaysia Today website.

We, Malaysian Citizens, the Boss of the Malaysian Government demands the government to investigate and clampdown on Corrupted Officers in a highly transparent manner and not Whistleblowers and Bloggers.

We, Malaysian Citizens urge that Tan Sri Muhammad Muhammad Taib be excluded from party, Members of Parliament Candidacy and elections until his name is cleared on the allegations in Malaysia Today.

We, Malaysian Citizens, the Boss will translate the actions of the Government into election votes. Malaysian Citizens choose and vote their government through democratic means !

Freedom of Speech, Constitution of Malaysia and Agong rules !

Sincerely,

The Undersigned

Sign the Petition

‘See you in hell Muhamad son of Muhamad’




Update :

Malaysiakini reports that Malaysia Today owner Raja Petra Kamarudin spent eight hours at the Dang Wangi district police headquarters having his statement recorded over a police report lodged by Umno.

Malaysia Today webmaster was asked to reveal the identity of persons who had posted comments in his site.

Another Malaysian Messenger in the Firing Line

Poster courtesy of Mob's Crib

Press statement/Letter to the Editor by Dr. Lim Teck Ghee on UMNO Police Report Against Raja Petra

I am writing in defense of Raja Petra Abdullah and his commentaries in his website, Malaysia-Today.net. This website contains some of the finest and most incisive political analyses and commentaries on the problems and ills that beset our nation. Malaysia-Today.net is simply without peer – whether as a whistle blowing or expose revealing resource or as a barometer of the pessimism and cynicism that many Malaysians feel when given freedom to express their views. Whilst some of the comments that are contributed by the website’s considerable following – especially on racial and religious issues – may appear over-exuberant, they are no more than the honest - if sometimes – passionate views and sentiments of our own citizens who write in precisely because they love the country and want it to be a better place.

Raja Petra’s own writings have not only been consistently factual, balanced and temperate. In his investigation of the many follies in our nation, he is providing that model of fearless, patriotic and ethical journalism that can help bring about higher standards of governance and behavior, especially from our leaders.

A fair-minded government should not for one moment entertain - let alone pursue - the false charges that have been leveled against him by UMNO. I hope good sense will prevail - and Raja Petra and Malaysia Today can be allowed to continue unhindered in their good work aimed at achieving a better Malaysia

Kuala Lumpur, 24 July 2007.


M. Bakri Musa’s comments:

I join Dr. Lim Teck Ghee and others in condemning this police report lodged by UMNO. Just as I thought we had breached the depth of stupidity with Najib Razak’s utterance of Malaysia being an Islamic state, out comes this news of an UMNO Vice-President lodging the police report.

Without being unduly Pollyannaish, I see some good coming out of this bizarre police report. I always knew this double Muhammad to be utterly corrupted but I did not know that he breached his scholarship bonds or that his divorce settlement to his wife, the Sultan of Selangor’s daughter, was a cool $12 million ringgit. Thanks to Raja Petra, now we know.

This is the Muhammad who was acquitted on a criminal charge of trying to smuggle a couple of millions in cold cash on the technical grounds that he could not understand the customs declaration forms! This begs the question, if this graduate of a local university could not understand English (no surprise there), how could he follow Raja Petra’s exposes that are written in English?

That soiled characters like this double Muhammad could rise so high in UMNO reflects more on the nature of UMNO. UMNO in turn reflects more on our Malay culture and norms. That is the tragic part.

I am glad and not at all surprised that Raja Petra, far from being cowered by this latest challenge, is being emboldened. The kucing kurap of UMNO cannot rustle this lion of a prince.Thank Allah that Malaysia is blessed with such individuals as Raja Petra.

M. Bakri Musa

clipped from news.yahoo.com Malaysia denies crackdown on bloggers KUALA LUMPUR (AFP) - Malaysia's deputy prime minister denied the government is clamping down on bloggers after a prominent ruling party politician lodged a police report against a website, reports said Tuesday. "Some of the offensive comments are capable of threatening racial stability and national security. The comments show that they do not respect the law," Muhammad said according to New Straits Times. The incident comes after Nathaniel Tan, an aide to former deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim, was detained by police for four days over an anonymous posting on his blog referring to corruption allegations against a minister.

Farish A. Noor :

Just a week ago a Malaysian blogger – Nathaniel Tan – was arrested and taken if for questioning by the police due to some postings related to allegations of corruption against politicians in the country. Now that a blanket ban has been used to close the forum of public debate on the Islamic state issue, worries have been raised about whether this marks yet another attempt to clamp down on cyberspace and silence the bloggers and cyber-writers.

Following the arrest and subsequent release of Nathaniel Tan, another prominent Malaysian cyber-writer, Raja Petra Kamarudin, who runs the hugely popular www.Malaysia-today.net site has had a police report filed against him by Muhammad Taib, former Chief Minister and member of the ruling UMNO party. The UMNO leader claims that Raja Petra, through his articles and postings on Malaysia-today.net had insulted the king, degraded Islam and incited hatred in the country.

As yet it is not known which of Raja Petra’s postings are said to have been insulting to King and country, though he dismisses the accusations as being baseless. According to Petra: ‘This has nothing to do with allegations about misrepresenting Islam, though such an accusation is the most convenient since when I write about religion I am expressing my personal opinions which are subjective and can therefore be discussed. But what really upsets them are my exposes on corruption in the country, which have been backed up with documents I have posted on the site. How can they refute that?’

Indeed, Raja Petra’s site has been receiving hundreds of thousands of hits daily precisely because of his exposes on corruption among politicians, businessmen, Malaysian criminal networks as well as the Malaysian police force; the last of which has taken a battering over the years due to a series of scandals and exposes related to cases of police brutality, deaths in custody and of course the now-infamous beating of the former Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia Anwar Ibrahim.

Activists, journalists and legal experts are now worried about what this may hold for the future, for the arrest of Nathaniel Tan and the police report against Raja Petra would suggest that moves are being made to silence the messengers on the internet. In the words of prominent Malaysian lawyer Malik Imtiaz: ‘it would be regrettable if this latest action is part of a wider campaign to close down the public domain of speech and discussion on crucial matters such as Malaysia’s constitution and the question of whether Malaysia is an Islamic state.’

In the midst of this, the Malaysian government’s reaction has been one of denial and retaliation instead. The country’s state-controlled TV channel RTM1 featured an editorial piece condemning local Malaysian newspapers that ‘cause trouble’ by raising sensitive issues on race and religion; while leaders of the ruling UMNO party continue to mouth a rhetoric of ethno-nationalism that is replete with communalist sentiments. The contradictions are clear, as is the paralysis of a government whose leader is on holiday while the messengers remain in the firing line. Full text here .

Dr. Mahathir Mohamad.

Former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad believes that there is an attempt by the government to curb voices of dissent on the Internet

"Yes there is an attempt. But you cannot stop people from using the Internet." […]

Mahathir said in the past, his administration would have liked to ban Internet pornography but it was "impossible" because, among others, the content was based overseas.

"Same with bloggers. You can’t stop them," he stressed. (Malaysiakini here)


Read also : " Growing trend towards stifling dissent " written by Dr Toh Kin Woon, executive councillor of Penang from Gerakan :

The recent arrest of Nathanniel Tan, a blogger and the call by Umno to the police to take action against ‘Malaysia Today’, a much visited blog by Raja Petra Raja Kamarudin, reflect the growing trend towards stifling dissent in our country.

Despite earlier promises of allowing freedom of the electronic media as part of the effort to promote the Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC), the government has reneged on these promises by suppressing blog sites deemed to air views critical of the government.

The action against Tan and the call to take action against ‘Malaysia Today’ are the latest in a series of undemocratic moves by the government. Another recent action in this series of moves was the ban imposed on the mainstream media by the Internal Security Ministry on the publication of views challenging the statement by Deputy Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak that Malaysia is an Islamic state.

In Malaysia, politics is without mercy

Is the axe finally coming down in the Malaysian cyberspace after the four-day arrest of Nathaniel Tan with the high-level Umno police report against Raja Petra Raja Kamaruddin, the webmaster of the popular political website, Malaysia Today?

In his article “A game of cat and mouse” on his website yesterday, Raja Petra had floated the theory put to him by “people in the intelligence community” that Sabah Chief Minister Musa Aman and Inspector-General of Police Musa Hassan had met Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi who is currently in Australia to “discuss Malaysia Today, plus get Pak Lah’s blessing and permission to close Malaysia Today down and arrest me” in view of the “damage Malaysia Today has inflicted on the image of Sabah, the Royal Malaysian Police, and Pak Lah personally”....more from Uncle Kit.

According to Malaysiakini, Umno has filed a police report against political website Malaysia Today for allegedly publishing disparaging remarks against the King and Islam. According to the Umno information chief, the postings and articles in the political website contained disparaging remarks against the King and Islam.(Read also the News from Star here)

Opposition Leader Lim Kit Siang says that the report against Raja Petra and the arrest of Nathaniel Tan indicated that the axe was finally coming down in Malaysian cyberspace.

WE WERE DECLARED AN INDEPENDANT DEMOCRATIC SECULAR STATE IN 1957.

5O YEARS ON WE ENCOUNTER MORE CRIMES, MORE MURDERS, MORE RAPES, RAMPANT CORRUPTION, A TAINTED JUDICIARY AND POLICE FORCE, DRACONIAN LAWS LIKE THE ISA AND OSA THAT PROTECT THE CHICANERY OF THE ELITE, AND WE ARE BEGINNING TO SEE THIS FREE INDEPENDENT COUNTRY TURNING INTO A POLICE STATE.

SO WHAT'S THERE TO CELEBRATE?
EXCEPT TO DECLARE IN SOLIDARITY "HIDUP BUGIS BLOGGER"

- Zorro Unmasked

Read also In Malaysia, politics is without mercy BY FARISH A NOOR

Press freedom: Talk is cheap, Pak Lah!

clipped from thestar.com.my Pak Lah thanks media KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian media has been responsible and co-operative with the Government in reporting events that could threaten the country’s peace and unity, the Prime Minister said. Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said the media had been conscientious when reporting racially and religiously sensitive issues because it had an understanding with the Government on the greater need to protect the peace and stability the people enjoyed. Abdullah, who said the complementary role was vital, added that the media had helped create a stable environment, boost patriotism and forge unity in the country especially during crises and problems.

“Sometimes, the media has anxiety in deciding what it should do but I believe they wonder how the Government, or specifically Pak Lah or the Internal Security Ministry, would react (to a news item).

“But some people also think ‘Pak Lah is tolerant so let’s try and see how tolerant he is’,” he said.

He also reminded the media that there were laws that governed them.

“Whether we use them depends on the situation. Even if we don’t use them, we leave it there. When we discipline our children we don’t throw away the cane even if we don’t use it but hang it up as a reminder to them,” Abdullah said.


Quote from Malaysiakini :

The prime minister has yet to take real steps towards freeing up the media, says his sternest critic Lim Kit Siang.

The government has yet to take concrete steps to freeing up the media despite a glowing tribute to journalists from Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi. (Read more here)


From Lim Kit Siang's blog :

The speech by the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to the Mass Media Conference 2007 last Friday is more significant for what he omitted than what he said.

Eight years ago, when he was first appointed Home Minister, some 600 journalists in Malaysia which in the subsequent year grew to over 1,000 journalists, on the occasion of World Press Freedom Day on May 3 presented a memorandum to him calling for the repeal of the Printing Presses and Publications Act and other repressive laws fettering the development of a free and responsible press.

Abdullah had given a solemn undertaking to the Malaysian journalists that he would give their memorandum serious consideration.

Eight years have passed and Abdullah has still to respond directly to the 1999 memorandum on press freedom which has the support of over 1,000 journalists.

The Mass Media Conference 2007 on Friday is most disturbing for more reasons than one. In particular, the conference was organized by the Internal Security Ministry which seems to reflect an increasingly intrusive and invasive government role in the sphere of mass media.

In his eight years first as Home Minister and later Internal Security Minister with direct responsibility over the media, the arsenal of repressive instruments and laws fettering media freedom had been left intact, whether Printing Presses and Publications Act, the Official Secrets Act, the Sedition Act, the Internal Security Act or the Police Act.

At any time, these repressive instruments and laws could be resorted to and re-activated. There has been no move whatsoever towards new legislation to create an environment which fosters greater openness, accountability and transparency like the Freedom of Information Act and Whistleblowers Protection Act.

What is very disturbing is that there are more and more signs of government obstruction of the development of a free and responsible press, as for instance, in the latest government directive to expand the blackout of the Opposition from government television and radio stations to private stations.

Is Abdullah’s speech on mass media last Friday a final answer after eight years rejecting the memorandum by over 1,000 Malaysian journalists to him when he first became Home Minister calling for the repeal of the Printing Presses and Publications Act and other repressive laws fettering the development of a free and responsible press?

Air Asia really Sucks !

How ? Why ? Find out here.