U.S., Canada criticize KL for jailing reporter<\/p>\n
KUALA LUMPUR (Agencies): The United States and Canada
\ncriticized Malaysia on Monday for imprisoning a foreign
\njournalist, but Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad brushed aside the
\nobjections and accused the West of trampling on human rights.<\/p>\n
The White House said U.S. President Bill Clinton was \"deeply
\nconcerned\" about the jailing of Canadian journalist Murray
\nHiebert for contempt of court.<\/p>\n
\"Putting a journalist in jail for doing his job undermines the
\npress freedoms that play such a critical role in building a
\ndemocratic society,\" the White House said in a statement released
\nin New Zealand where Clinton was attending an Asia-Pacific
\nsummit.<\/p>\n
Hiebert, Malaysia bureau chief for the Hong Kong-based Far
\nEastern Economic Review, was taken to prison on Saturday after
\nthe Court of Appeal upheld an earlier conviction for contempt of
\ncourt.<\/p>\n
He was convicted of contempt over an article printed in
\nJanuary 1997 which the plaintiff, the wife of a Court of Appeal
\njudge, said amounted to an attack on the judiciary.<\/p>\n
Hiebert was the first journalist to be sent to jail in
\nMalaysia in the line of duty and the first journalist to be
\njailed for contempt in a Commonwealth country in nearly 50 years.<\/p>\n
\"The decision of the Malaysian courts is outrageous,\" Canadian
\nForeign Minister Lloyd Axworthy said on Monday at the New Zealand
\nregional summit.<\/p>\n
A diplomat at the Canadian High Commission (embassy) in Kuala
\nLumpur quoted Axworthy as saying Canada would be \"looking very
\nseriously about what kind of action we can take\".<\/p>\n
The U.S.-based Committee to Protect Journalists said: \"Sending
\nMurray Hiebert to jail is an outrage.\"<\/p>\n
Malaysia has been the target of stinging international
\ncriticism for court decisions which critics say call into
\nquestion the protection of civil liberties.<\/p>\n
The sentencing of former finance minister Anwar Ibrahim in
\nApril to six years in jail for corruption spurred international
\ncensure.<\/p>\n
In a speech to more than 1,400 jurists from Commonwealth
\nnations meeting outside Kuala Lumpur, the head of the Malaysian
\nBar, R.R. Chelvarajah, said on Monday that Malaysian courts had
\ndrawn criticism in a number of recent cases.<\/p>\n
\"These comments should not be brushed aside,\" he said.<\/p>\n
But minutes later, Mahathir climbed the same podium to defend
\nMalaysia's judiciary and launch a verbal attack on the Western
\nmedia, the World Trade Organization, currency traders, the
\nInternet, human rights groups and the United Nations.<\/p>\n
Mahathir also criticized the permanent members of the UN
\nSecurity Council on Monday as \"blatantly feudal and
\nundemocratic.\"<\/p>\n
\"It is ridiculous that this important world body is still
\ntethered to the results of the world war fought 50 years ago,\"
\nMahathir said.<\/p>\n
The 73-year-old leader lashed out at the council members --
\nthe United States, Britain, France, China and Russia, saying
\ntheir unwillingness to give up veto power made reform difficult.<\/p>\n
\"This undemocratic power may sit well with China and Russia
\nbut the other three countries preach democracy ad nauseum,\" said
\nMahathir, who has led Malaysia for 18 years.<\/p>\n
\"It does not become them to be blatantly feudal and
\nundemocratic in the United Nations when they so vehemently insist
\nthat every country must be democratic.\"<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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