[BUNGARAYA] for circulation (fwd)

["M.G.G. Pillai" <pillai@mgg.pc.my>]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Fri, 03 Mar 2000 19:47:31 PST
From: tan chon <choodar42@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: bungaraya@listserv.net-gw.com
To: aduru@pl.jaring.my
Cc: ba-secretariat@egroups.com
Subject: [BUNGARAYA] for circulation

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Media Statement


Limiting Harakah's Influence


The decision of the Minister of Home Affairs to limit the publication of the 
PAS newspaper, Harakah, to twice a month, is a travesty of justice.  The 
Harakah was being published twice a week and had a huge readership.  It is 
estimated that at its height the Harakah sold at least 368,000 copies and 
was much more popular than any of the mainstream, pro-government newspapers.

By imposing such a restriction, the government has exposed itself.  It is 
telling the whole world that it is afraid of the growing influence and 
impact of Harakah.  Instead of combating Harakah's popularity by encouraging 
newspapers that are servile and subservient to the government to accommodate 
dissident views and critical perspectives, the ruling elite has chosen to 
use its massive power to stifle freedom of expression.  It is a crude, 
clumsy attempt to curb the people's desire for alternative points of view.  
No government with even an iota of respect for democratic values and 
principles would have resorted to such a cheap tactic to fight a political 
opponent.

Dato Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's decision also reveals how easy it is to abuse 
the Publications Act.  For the Act allows the Minister to impose whatever 
restrictions he wants upon a newspaper or periodical seeking to renew its 
permit.  The very fact that a publication has to subject itself to an annual 
renewal exercise shows how unjust and undemocratic the law is.

This is why Parti Keadilan Nasional has consistently argued that the 
Publications Act should be abolished, or, at the very least, amended.  
Indeed, the action against Harakah underscores yet again the urgency of 
democratic reforms in Malaysia.

The Malaysian people lost a golden opportunity to initiate such reforms 
through the ballot box in the November General Election.  They should not 
make the same mistake again five years from now.




2 March 2000							Dr. Chandra Muzaffar
								Deputy President
								Parti Keadilan Nasional

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