Malaysia bans Tamil-language daily: Manager

[Harold Schiffman]

Malaysia bans Tamil-language daily: Manager


 Agence France-Presse
Wednesday, April 16, 2008 (Kuala Lumpur)

Malaysia has imposed a ban on a leading Tamil-language newspaper
critical of the government, its general manager said on Wednesday - a
move the opposition called a ''crackdown on human rights.'' S M
Periasamy, general manager of the critical Makkal Osai daily, told AFP
that he had received a letter from the home ministry - which is in
charge for internal security - saying the paper's annual permit would
not be renewed. ''It means our daily has been banned,'' he said.
Periasamy said no reasons were given for the government action, adding
that he would immediately appeal to Home Minister Syed Hamid Albar.

''From tomorrow, the daily will not hit the streets. If we continue to
publish, the directors could be jailed,'' Periasamy said. Opposition
lawmaker Lim Kit Siang, chairman of the Democratic Action Party, said
the newspaper had been banned for giving too much coverage for the
opposition since it made stunning gains in March 8 general elections.
''It's the first sign of repression, a crackdown on human rights and
the little space opening in the media after the March 8 political
tsunami,'' he said.

Periasamy defended the daily's editorial policy, saying it was not
biased. ''We give equal coverage to all. We are not biased and we
focus on ethnic Indian issues in Malaysia,'' he added. Malaysia's
media is largely state-linked and kept under tight control.

http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/story.aspx?id=NEWEN20080047070&ch=4/16/2008%209:14:00%20PM


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