Media's role is to hold the govt accountable - CENBET

This suspension is reminiscent of the oppressive Ops Lalang in 1987 when the licences of three newspapers The Star, Sin Chew Jit Poh and Watan (which has ceased publication) were withdrawn, and 106 Opposition and Barisan Nasional politicians, academics and social activists were detained under the Internal Security Act.

The Ministry's grounds for suspension – “prejudicial or likely prejudicial to public order, security or likely to alarm the public opinion or is likely to be prejudicial to public and national interests” - do not hold water. The publications were only reporting on alleged abuses in the use of public funds. It begs the question whose order and stability this decision protects. Far from ensuring public order and stability, the decision is publicly perceived more as a means of ensuring the political survival of certain individuals or groups.

It is the principle role of the media to hold the government accountable by asking questions and highlighting issues of governance, transparency and abuse of power and trust. Equally, the government is obliged to provide answers, be accountable to the public and uphold the truth and be transparent. The Rakyat are entitled to know how public funds are spent and accounted for and it is the role of the media to give voice to this entitlement.

Those aggrieved by the reports in the two publications have other avenues to seek redress, including clarifying what they deem as inaccurate reporting from the onset (as was the case involving a foreign publication), and not wait for weeks or months to do it. Or they could take the publications to court. Suspending newspapers should be the last resort, and that too only over matters critical to national security such as inciting racial riots or to overthrow the government by force. A government that stops the Fourth Estate from doing its job appears to be a government which has something to hide. Suppression of right to information is regressive, abusive and repressive. This Government’s legitimacy is now in question.

The fact of the matter is that the two publications had over the years, raised valid concerns over 1MDB's use of public funds, but these remained unanswered. If they had been answered, there was no need to form the Special Taskforce to look into 1MDB.

We demand that the Ministry lifts the suspension order immediately and allow the newspapers and journalists to carry out their duties without undue fear or pressure.

We urge the Malaysian Judiciary to protect our Federal Constitution and uphold the Rule of Law as and when legal challenges are made to abuse of power by the government.