KL suspends tabloid 'Perdana Sari'

KL suspends tabloid 'Perdana Sari'

MALAYSIA: The government on Thursday barred a tabloid from
publishing for three months after it alleged that a prominent
member of Malaysia's ruling party was a lesbian.

Home Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi suspended the weekly
because a government probe showed that it veered toward
sensationalism and could hurt moral values, the national news
agency Bernama reported.

Khalid Jafri, owner of the Malay-language tabloid Perdana Sari
- or "Prime Content," said he would abide by the decision.

Malaysia's Press and Publications Act requires newspapers and
magazines to seek annual permits and gives officials sweeping
powers to act against publishers.

Khalid's tabloid, launched in March, claimed in several
articles that Azalina Othman, a member of the United Malays
National Organization's policy-making body, was a lesbian. --AP