High Court dismisses stay order application by The Edge

The Kuala Lumpur High Court today dismissed application by The Edge Communications Sdn Bhd to stay of the suspension order of its two publications.

The two publications, The Edge Malaysia and The Edge Financial Daily were suspended for three months beginning July 27 in connection to its reports on the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) issues.

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.