Editor quits over apology

Editor quits over apology

MALAYSIA: The editor of a Malaysian newspaper has resigned after disputing upper management's decision to publish an apology for running a story about an alleged assassination plot targeting Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad and his deputy.

Mahathir has said that he had never been informed of such a plot, reported by The Sun newspaper Christmas Day, and said that such reports could hurt the economy if Malaysia is perceived as rife with terrorism. He said that the newspaper should have informed police.

On Thursday, The Sun published a front-page apology to Mahathir and his deputy, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi. It said that further scrutiny showed that the story had been based on unfounded allegations and should never have been published.

Sun editor Andy Ng told The Associated Press on Friday that he has resigned over the apology and the decision to suspend an editor and two journalists who had worked on the story. He said that he had initially offered to resign or be suspended in their place, but was refused. -- AP