Lift ban on Makkal Osai

The Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ) and Writers Alliance for Media Independence (WAMI) are deeply concerned about the banning of Tamil paper Makkal Osai, following the the Ministry of Home Affairs's decision not to renew its publication permit lapsed since 2007. The refusal to grant a permit sparks worry as the government shows no signs of reforming towards greater openness and to be more attentive to the voices of the community. As the paper gave relatively more coverage to the opposition during the general election, the ban gives basis to the impression that this is a "punishment" by the Barisan Nasional government.

On April 16, Makkal Osai received a letter from the Ministry of Home Affairs informing that its permit application was rejected. Hithertho, the paper was operating from a lapsed permit with the expectation that it would be renewed. During the recently concluded elections, CIJ's media monitoring revealed that the newspaper had the most space for the opposition among the six that were monitored, but it had departed from its usual editorial trend by publishing more pro-Barisan Nasional (BN) stories - a sign of the strain due to the uncertainty of its permit status.

When contacted, the Principal Assistant Secretary of the Ministry, Abdul Razak Abdul Latif declined to give any reason for the rejection and said the decision was under the Minister's discretionary power. Calls to the office of the Minister, Syed Hamid Albar went unanswered. Makkal Osai's General Manager, SM Periasamy said the paper was not offered any reason for the rejection and is in the process of filing an appeal. We are shocked that the government has refused to state the reasons for the denial of the permit, an act clearly to intimidate the newspaper, which has been operating since the early 1990s and with a staff of more than 100 people.

The ban might be the start of a witch-hunt by the BN to clampdown on stronger voices following the elections, where it lost its two-thirds majority in Parliament. The governments in five states that are now under the opposition Pakatan Rakyat have begun to reveal questionable practices of the BN government in these states in the past. Makkal Osai's fate sends a strong signal to other government controlled-papers, some of which have started relaxing their routine blackout of the opposition and called for greater media independence.

It also coincides with the police's harassment towards the opposition Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR), which organized a gathering on April 14 to celebrate the end of the ban from politics for its de-facto leader, Anwar Ibrahim. Police initially considered the gathering organized at the Sultan Sulaiman Club, at the capital city, a private event, thus exempting the organisers from the permit requirement. However, on April 15, citing a police report lodged, police summoned several PKR leaders, party president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, party vice-president Azmin Ali and secretary-general, also the Selangor Chief Minister Khalid Ibrahim to give statements for the alleged illegal gathering. Police took statements from Khalid on 16 April at his office following his refusal to go to the Selangor police headquarters.

The two moves by the BN government indicate that the administration is resorting to its usual hardline methods at the expanse of the people's right to freedom of expression and information, at the time of political stress. CIJ and WAMI deplore the hawkish approaches and urge the government not to risk further erosion of public trust.

We urge the government to immediately lift the ban on Makkal Osai and stop any attempt to control public discussion and expression. We also call upon the Pakatan Rakyat to issue a stronger rejection of these tactics and to offer the owners of Makkal Osai an opportunity to publish in the states where the coalition governs in a bid to save the newspaper. We call for the repeal of the Printing Presses and Publications Act which has shackled the media and jeopardised the state of press freedom in Malaysia.

The Centre for Independent Jopurnalism (CIJ) aspires for a society that is democratic, just and free, where all people enjoy free media and the freedom to express, seek, and impart information.

Issued by
Gayathry Venkiteswaran
Executive Director, CIJ

Wong Chin Huat
Chairman, WAMI

Centre for Independent Journalism
17/4/08