KL gets tough on publishers

KL gets tough on publishers

KUALA LUMPUR (AFP): Malaysia will introduce tougher penalties under a law which controls newspaper and magazine publishing, a minister said on Friday.

The home ministry will also tighten conditions for new publishing permits to prevent abuse, Deputy Home Minister Chor Chee Heung said.

Chor, quoted by the official Bernama news agency, said conditions at present were not strict and provided opportunities for "irresponsible elements" to publish what he called negative material.

The deputy minister, speaking at the launch of a campaign against pornography, did not spell out conditions that needed tightening.

Chor said the Printing Presses and Publications Act would be amended to provide for stiffer penalties. At present it specifies a jail term of up to three years or a maximum fine of 20,000 ringgit ($5,263) or both.