International press freedom group protests Malaysia media closures

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 12 (AFP) - 12:42 - An international press freedom group has protested to the Malaysian government over its decision to ban two publications.

The Paris-based Reporters Sans Frontieres (RSF - Reporters Without Borders), in a statement received here Tuesday, said it had written to Home Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi asking him to reverse his ministry's decision.

RSF said the refusal to renew the publication licences of the weekly tabloid Eksklusif and of the Al-Wasilah youth magazine "constituted a violation of press freedom."

The group described Malaysia's Printing Presses and Publications Act as a "repressive press law which gags opposition media."

Jalil Ali, editor-in-chief of Eksklusif, confirmed last week that the ministry had failed to renew the publishing permit for the Malay-language newspaper.

Local rights group Aliran said at the time the ban "perhaps reflects the government's contempt of the very notion of press freedom."

Eksklusif has failed to appear since its previous licence expired April 15. Jalil told AFP that three appeals to the ministry since then for a renewal had failed.

His described his newspaper as independent rather than pro-opposition.

The home ministry, which licenses all publications as part of strict press curbs, has acted against other publications seen as pro-opposition in the past but denies any political motive.

The online newspaper Malaysiakini said the youth magazine Al-Wasilah also had its permit cancelled last month.

It added: "It is believed that the ban on the monthly teen magazine is due to its political coverage which has an opposition slant."

The ministry earlier this year closed down another publication, Detik, seen as critical of the government.

In March it severely curbed circulation of the newspaper of the opposition Parti Islam SeMalaysia. Harakah's publishing permit was renewed for only two issues a month instead of two a week as previously.

Harakah's editor Zulkifli Sulong is currently on trial for sedition, punishable by up to three years' jail, for an article on the trial of ex-deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim.