[hr-media] Malaysian newspapers suspended in ongoing government crackdown
HREA
Amnesty International Press release
25 March 2009
Two
newspapers run by Malaysia's opposition parties have been suspended by the
Home Ministry for three months, effective from Monday.
The
suspensions appear to be part of an ongoing government led crackdown on an
array of perceived opponents, ranging from bloggers and people attending
political rallies to opposition parliamentarians.
The
newspapers Harakah, which is linked to the Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party
(PAS), and Suara Keadilan of the Keadilan party, both had their permits
suspended under the Printing Presses and Publications Act (1984).
The suspensions come just a day before the country's ruling United Malays
Nation Organisation (UMNO) opened its annual general assembly. At this
conference Deputy Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak, is expected to be elected
the President of UMNO, in advance of his planned accession next week as
Prime Minister. A number of journalists representing at least six
publications were denied media accreditation by UNMO to cover the party's
conference.
By suspending the two publications, the Malaysian
government is in effect taking a step towards silencing 37 percent of
Malaysians who had voted for the opposition during the 2008 general
elections.
Amnesty International has called on the Malaysian
government and in particular, the incoming Prime Minister, Najib Tun Razak
not to criminalize freedom of expression.
Also on Monday,
police fired teargas and chemical laced water on people, including
children, without any warning during a gathering at Bukit Selambau, in the
northern Malaysian state of Kedah. The constituents had come to hear
opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim speak in the run-up to the by-election in
that area. Around 31 persons were reported to have been arrested, but all
were released the next day.
Earlier in March eight people were
charged with criticizing Malaysia's Sultan of Perak on the internet.
Businessman Fuad Ariff Abdul Rashid and his lawyer wife, Fatimah
Maisurah Abdullah, were charged on 16 March with two counts of posting
critical comments against the Sultan on the ruler's official website. This
followed a nationwide swoop on bloggers on 13 March, which saw six others
charged with similar offences. All were charged under the Communication and
Media Act.
In addition opposition parliamentarian and lawyer
Karpal Singh was charged with sedition for his threat to sue the Sultan of
Perak over the political crisis in Perak State. Singh had claimed that the
Sultan had breached the State’s constitution when directing the
resignation of the Chief Minister.
Prominent blogger Raja Petra
Kamaruddin, opposition leader Teresa Kok and journalist Tan Hoong Cheng
were arrested in September 2008 under the country's Internal Security Act
for allegedly being a threat to security, peace and public order.
All except Raja Petra were released soon afterwards. Raja Petra was
subsequently released in November following a successful legal challenge
which has now been the subject of an appeal by the government.
HREA - www.hrea.org
Human Rights Education Associates (HREA) is an international non-governmental organisation that supports human rights learning; the training of activists and professionals; the development of educational materials and programming; and community-building through on-line technologies.
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