Permit suspension seen as against media freedom principle - Netizens

Netizens have voiced their displeasure at the Home Ministry’s decision to suspend the publishing permit of The Edge Weekly and The Edge Financial Daily for three months, calling the move senseless and against the media freedom principle.

Both the publications’ publishing permits were suspended following their report on the scandal involving strategic investment company 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).

Among those who voiced their concern included several political figures such as Ong Kian Ming (Serdang MP), Nurul Izzah Anwar (Lembah Pantai MP), Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah (former Temerloh MP) and Fahmi Fadzil (PKR Communications Director).

The Edge suspended for three months ? Seriously
— Nurul Izzah (@n_izzah) July 24, 2015

I strongly condemn d 3 months suspension of The Edge & Financial Daily.
— Saifuddin Abdullah (@saifuddinabd) July 24, 2015

Hope that all media outlets can do something to express their solidarity against the 3 month ban of #TheEdge
— Ong Kian Ming (@imokman) July 24, 2015

Very disappointed The Edge Weekly and Financial Daily suspended for 3 mths. Major blow to freedom of speech and freedom of media. Dark day.
— Fahmi Fadzil (@fahmi_fadzil) July 24, 2015

Ordiniary citizens also voiced their opinion over the matter.

Shutting up the whistleblowers doesn't change the fact that a crime has been committed. Covering up? https://t.co/pWz49yDBTr via @sharethis
— Richard Naden (@rnaden) July 24, 2015

The Edge is suspended. Wow...what a surprise.
— Art Harun Unblocked! (@Art_Harun) July 24, 2015

RT @cheeChingy: #TheEdge suspended because they reported the truth, for all Malaysians.
— Caroline Ng May Ling (@carolinemayling) July 24, 2015

I think we can see where the task force is going with their investigation of 1MDB. It's so disappointing. http://t.co/aHgXQ3AbCg
— Simon Yap Wei Toong (@SimonYap68) July 24, 2015

Sepatutnya tak perlu gantung the Edge. You dont want to make war with capitalist in Malaysia. Most traders and investors reads them daily
— Datuk Jahat Hensem (@datukhensem) July 24, 2015

There were also those who felt the suspension as against the media freedom principle and unethical.

keputusan menggantung #theEdge melanggar kebebasan media https://t.co/5X5Ss6S1xX
— Nik Nazmi (@niknazmi) July 24, 2015

Penggantungan akhbar #TheEdge dan The Edge Financial Daily tanpa justifikasi cabuli prinsip kebebasan akhbar. Kebenaran cuba disembunyikan.
— Najwan Halimi (@NajwanHalimi) July 24, 2015

If the allegations were untrue, sue The Edge, not shut it down. You want an example of unethical? THAT is unethical.
— Erna Mahyuni (@ernamh) July 24, 2015

Woodward & Bernstein were given the Pulitzer for uncovering the Watergate Scandal. In Msia, #TheEdge is suspended for its 1MDB coverage...
— Ong Kian Ming (@imokman) July 24, 2015

In a statement today, The Edge said the ministry cited the publications' reporting on 1MDB issues as "prejudicial or likely to be prejudicial to public order, security or likely to alarm public opinion or is likely to be prejudicial to public and national interest".