Court dismisses ministry's application over suspension of The Edge newspapers

The High Court today dismissed an application by the Home Ministry to stay its decision to lift the suspension on two newspapers owned by The Edge Communications Sdn Bhd.

Judge Datuk Asmabi Mohamad made the decision in chambers.

Senior federal counsel Alice Loke Yee Ching told reporters Asmabi ruled that there was no special circumstances to grant the stay.

"The judge said the publisher must not be deprived of the fruit of their successful litigation. The Edge can continue printing. The judge said that there is no harm for both the newspapers to continue to be published," she said.

Loke also said that the judge ordered the Home Minister and the ministry secretary-general to pay costs of RM4,000 to the publisher.

On Sept 21, the High Court quashed the order of the Home Ministry to suspend the The Edge Weekly and The Edge Financial Daily for three months from July 27, enabling the two publications to resume publication of the newspapers.

The Home Ministry had suspended the two newspapers for publishing reports related to 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) on the grounds that they could undermine public order and were against the national interest.