KL comes under fire from inside, outside over 'censor'

KL comes under fire from inside, outside over 'censor'

KUALA LUMPUR (AFP): An international press freedom group
criticized on Friday Malaysia's decision to delay sales of two
foreign news magazines which carry articles on Prime Minister
Mahathir Mohamad's government.

"If the government is trying to bar the distribution of
foreign publications, that's very troubling," said Lin Neumann,
Asia representative for the Committee to Protect Journalists.

As of Friday evening, censors were still holding back editions
of Asiaweek and the Far Eastern Economic Review. They would
normally have gone on sale six days earlier.

There was no indication whether the latest editions of the two
magazines, which would normally go on sale Saturday, would also
be delayed.

The Control of Publications and Film Division, part of the
Home Affairs Ministry, routinely inspects imported news
magazines. But local distributors say they believe it is the
first time for many years that it has delayed sales.

Mahathir's government has for years fiercely criticized the
Western media for alleged biased and inaccurate reporting. But it
had previously made no overt moves to suppress its operations or
to curb sales.

Tengku Mahmood Tengku Ismail, assistant undersecretary of the
publications control division, told AFP on Thursday that the
delay "could be due to some problems with the contents." He
declined to give details of the problems but added: "We have to
bear in mind national interest."

Rohaizad Abdul Rahim, press secretary to Home Affairs Minister
Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, declined comment when asked if a new
policy of censoring foreign publications has been introduced.
An information ministry spokesman also declined comment. A source
said the ministry was not consulted about the decision.

The Far Eastern Economic Review's web edition for March 1 has
a report on opposition to Mahathir from within his ruling party.
Asiaweek's March 2 issue, as seen on the Internet, carries a
report of links between unidentified Malaysian businessmen and
Islamic separatists in the southern Philippines.

Asiaweek also has a report on the new administrative capital
of Putrajaya which was pioneered by Mahathir. The article is
entitled Building a Legacy.

Neumann said the New York-based Committee to Protect
Journalists had for years been critical of the government's
treatment of the local media.

He told AFP from Bangkok that any attempt to screen or delay
foreign news magazines was censorship. "That is not in keeping
with what a nation that professes to be democratic should be
doing."

Neumann said the action would damage the government. "It makes
them look silly. It's a pretty sophisticated country with
enormous economic achievements ... but such policies make them
look like they're in league with Burma (Myanmar)."

Lim Kit Siang, chairman of Malaysia's opposition Democratic
Action Party, said the home ministry should "stop making a fool
of itself," especially when the magazines could be read on the
Internet.

In a statement he said the delay in releasing printed copies
showed the world that "Malaysia is not a democratic country but
reminiscent of authoritarian regimes like the previous communist
government of the Soviet Union or the Myanmar military junta."

The latest round of verbal attacks on the Western began Feb. 1
when Mahathir accused Asiaweek of deliberately using a cover
photograph of him which makes him look like "an idiot."

Three days later the government announced it would set up a
committee to handle what it called inaccurate reports in the
foreign media.

Asiaweek sells more than 25,000 copies in Malaysia, its
largest sales volume in any country.