The Edge secures leave to apply for judicial review over suspension

The publications, The Edge Malaysia and The Edge Financial Daily, were suspended for three months from July 27 over published articles pertaining to the 1Malaysia Development Berhad issue.

High Court Judge Datuk Asmabi Mohamad handed down the decision in chambers in the presence of Senior Federal Counsel Alice Loke, who represented the ministry, and the company's lawyer Daryl Goon, according to Loke.

Loke also told reporters that the court, however, dismissed an application by the company to lift the suspension of the two publications pending the inter-parte hearing of the application which the court had set for Aug 12.

The company had filed an application for leave for a judicial review on July 27 by naming the Home Ministry secretary-general and the Home Minister as the respondents.

The Edge Communications Sdn Bhd had applied for leave to institute proceedings under Order 53 Rule 3 of the Rules of Court 2012 for an order of certiorari for the court to quash the decision of the home minister.

The company also sought an interim order for a stay of the execution of the decision pending the outcome of the hearing of the application and costs.

The Home Minister, in a letter dated July 23 signed by one Hashimah Nik Jaafar on behalf of the minister, notified the company of the suspension of the publishing permits of both publications for three months from July 27.

According to a letter sent to the senior managing editor of the company, Ahmad Azam Mohd Aris, the ministry said the articles on 1MDB by The Edge were detrimental to public order, security and national interest.