By Shamala Suresh Kee
“Malaysian Newspaper Forced to Shut Up” (by Jed Yoong, Asia Sentinal, 22 February 2008) truly made me feel appalled at the recent state of Malaysian press. Cited as an endangered species by Jed, independent newspapers are now extinct with the purchase of The Sun daily by business tycoon, Vincent Tan, whom currently is involved in V.K Lingam trial, a trial that pertains to justice brokerage by the senior lawyer. According to the report, an extensive change in the main line-up of The Sun was made, soon after the purchase. Ho Kay Tat is now being replaced by a new editor-in-chief Chong Cheng Hei and Zainon Ahmad is now the ‘consultant editor’.
I must say, The Sun is a staple read for me and most readers who want vivid and explicit reports especially on recent controversial cases and I am doubtful that we would not be denied that with the shift of ownership. Attempts again attempts are made to control and restrict Malaysian media under the flagship of national and public safety, especially post 13 May 1969 and later during the ‘reign’ of Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohammad starting from 1981. The implementation of the Printing Ordinance in 1948 to curb communist activities posed as the stepping stone towards the control of print media content ‘for national and public safety also to handle sensitive issues regarding race and religion’, as chanted till today by the authorities even after the amendment of the Printing Ordinance to the draconian Printing Press and Publication Act, that does more than regulation of content but also, the ownership of the media. Continue reading ‘A beautiful election campaign’
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