UK media out to 'get' Malaysia

UK media out to 'get' Malaysia

KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters): Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad said yesterday that the British press wanted to "frustrate" Malaysia in the name of press freedom by writing adverse reports about the country.

"We know that these people have got ill-will towards us. They want to frustrate Malaysia in any way they can," he told a news conference when asked about recent newspaper reports in Britain that Malaysia said put it in a negative light.

Mahathir said last week the government was considering taking action against two British newspapers for reporting allegations that Malaysian authorities had poisoned Indonesian immigrants before a mass deportation exercise in late March.

Malaysia has denied the allegations. Authorities said eight immigrants and one policeman were killed in the deportation exercise at the Semenyih detention camp outside Kuala Lumpur.