KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia - The Malaysian government has threatened action against the country's biggest English-language daily over an article criticizing the caning of three Muslim women, an official said Thursday.
The Home Ministry found the article published in The Star last Friday may threaten "public order," said Abdul Razak Abdul Latif, a senior ministry official.
The government threat against The Star is likely to fuel concerns that the government is succumbing to conservative Islamists who appear to be gaining influence in this Muslim-majority country. Malaysia has long been seen as a model of moderate and progressive Islamic society.
In the opinion piece, The Star managing editor P. Gunasegaram, a non-Muslim, criticized the Feb. 9 caning of three Muslim women for illicit sex, saying it undermined individual rights. The three became the first women to be caned in Malaysia, after an Islamic court found them guilty of having sex out of wedlock.
Abdul Razak, the home ministry official, said the ministry faxed a letter Wednesday to The Star, giving it 14 days to offer an apology and explanation before the ministry decides whether it will take any action, he said.
Action could include revoking the paper's publishing license. All of the country's publications need to annually renew their printing licenses to operate.
Following complaints, The Star removed the article from its Web site and printed an apology Wednesday, saying it was mindful that it needed to be sensitive to people's beliefs.
"We would like to categorically state that there was no intention to insult or offend Muslims with the article," it said.
Star editors could not immediately be reached. Abdul Razak said the printed apology was not enough to settle the matter, and that Star would have to reply to the ministry's letter.
The caning of the three women has caused debate in Malaysia. Rights group say it is a degrading punishment, and that civil law forbids the caning of women.
But the government insists it is a just penalty and the caning provided for under Shariah law does not inflict physical pain.
The country's Islamic courts — which administer personal matters for Muslims — can mete out caning sentences for such offenses as drinking alcohol in public and sex out of wedlock. Previously women had usually appealed the caning sentences so that no woman was ever caned.
Muslims make up 60 percent of the country's 28 million people. Non-Muslims are mainly ethnic Indian and Chinese.
Lim Kit Siang, a veteran opposition politician, condemned criticism of the article in a blog posting Wednesday.
"Right-thinking Malaysians are gravely concerned at the rise of intolerance and bigotry," he said. "Is Malaysia's plural society ... retreating into the shell of greater intolerance, bigotry and extremism?"
The Associated Press.
25/02/10
The Home Ministry found the article published in The Star last Friday may threaten "public order," said Abdul Razak Abdul Latif, a senior ministry official.
The government threat against The Star is likely to fuel concerns that the government is succumbing to conservative Islamists who appear to be gaining influence in this Muslim-majority country. Malaysia has long been seen as a model of moderate and progressive Islamic society.
In the opinion piece, The Star managing editor P. Gunasegaram, a non-Muslim, criticized the Feb. 9 caning of three Muslim women for illicit sex, saying it undermined individual rights. The three became the first women to be caned in Malaysia, after an Islamic court found them guilty of having sex out of wedlock.
Abdul Razak, the home ministry official, said the ministry faxed a letter Wednesday to The Star, giving it 14 days to offer an apology and explanation before the ministry decides whether it will take any action, he said.
Action could include revoking the paper's publishing license. All of the country's publications need to annually renew their printing licenses to operate.
Following complaints, The Star removed the article from its Web site and printed an apology Wednesday, saying it was mindful that it needed to be sensitive to people's beliefs.
"We would like to categorically state that there was no intention to insult or offend Muslims with the article," it said.
Star editors could not immediately be reached. Abdul Razak said the printed apology was not enough to settle the matter, and that Star would have to reply to the ministry's letter.
The caning of the three women has caused debate in Malaysia. Rights group say it is a degrading punishment, and that civil law forbids the caning of women.
But the government insists it is a just penalty and the caning provided for under Shariah law does not inflict physical pain.
The country's Islamic courts — which administer personal matters for Muslims — can mete out caning sentences for such offenses as drinking alcohol in public and sex out of wedlock. Previously women had usually appealed the caning sentences so that no woman was ever caned.
Muslims make up 60 percent of the country's 28 million people. Non-Muslims are mainly ethnic Indian and Chinese.
Lim Kit Siang, a veteran opposition politician, condemned criticism of the article in a blog posting Wednesday.
"Right-thinking Malaysians are gravely concerned at the rise of intolerance and bigotry," he said. "Is Malaysia's plural society ... retreating into the shell of greater intolerance, bigotry and extremism?"
The Associated Press.
25/02/10
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