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Mahathir says Internet messages have called for his death

KUALA LUMPUR, April 17 (AFP) - Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad Tuesday denounced total freedom of the press, saying messages have been posted on the Internet calling for him to be killed.

The premier was asked about his comments Monday that Malaysia may amend legal controls over the local media to make them more effective.

"I just received (messages) on the Internet urging people to kill me... so next of course they will ask people to throw bombs and all that," he told a press conference.

"Press freedom means you do anything that you like. You tell lies, you abuse people, you urge people to kill each other, that's press freedom. We don't like that kind of press freedom."

In an apparent joking remark, he told the reporter from Internet newspaper Malaysiakini who posed the question: "We are going to get rid of Malaysiakini.com."

Home Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who is also deputy premier, told AFP the government would study exisiting legislation before deciding whether to amend it.

"What we are saying is that we have to take a look at the laws based on developments in the media and the Internet. What is going to be the outcome, I do not know yet," he added.

Mahathir Monday also blasted the Western media for what he called biased and inaccurate reporting.

Government censors in recent months have delayed sales of regional news magazines Asiaweek and the Far Eastern Economic Review.

The Printing Presses and Publications Act governing Malaysian media bans the publication of "malicious news" and empowers authorities to ban or restrict the circulation of local publications.

Last year the government severely curbed the circulation of the opposition party newspaper Harakah.