THE Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ) and Writers Alliance for Media Independence (Wami) are concerned about the confiscation of a cartoon magazine on current issues edited by prominent cartoonist Zunar. The confiscation smacks of harassment and censorship of discussion of current issues. On 25 Aug, officials from the Control of Publication Department of the Ministry [...]

THE media are at it again. Sensationalising the news, reporting inaccurately and unfairly, and worst of all, having no regard for the personal damage a report may have on a party. The latest of irresponsible and unethical reporting was in Kosmo!‘s 27 July 2009 edition that front-paged celebrated filmmaker Yasmin Ahmad who passed away from [...]

PETALING JAYA, 28 May 2009: For the first time in its annual human rights report for Malaysia, Amnesty International (AI) has highlighted racial discrimination as one of several human rights violations in the country. The 2009 report said that racial discrimination was institutionalised in Malaysia, particularly in government-backed affirmative action policies for bumiputeras such as [...]

THE recent seizures of Suara Keadilan and Harakah have once again highlighted inherent difficulties posed by the Printing and Publications Act (PPPA) and its impact on our publishing industry. One aspect that has fallen by the wayside in the rush to speculate on the seemingly arbitrary confiscation — if they were part of a routine [...]

GOMBAK, 20 Jan 2009: The Printing Presses and Publications Act (PPPA) makes it difficult for book publishers to conduct their business and should be amended, the Malaysian Book Publishers Association (Mabopa) said. Mabopa secretary Arief Hakim Sani said the PPPA was outdated and easily subjected to abuse. Mabopa secretary Arief Hakim Sani“I definitely think the [...]

Book cover of Rahsia ArqamPETALING JAYA, 18 Dec 2008: Copies of a book examining the Al-Arqam sect were confiscated by Home Ministry officials on four different occasions, beginning May 2006. Yet, until today, the status of the book remains unclear. According to PTS Publications general manager Fauzul Na’im Ishak, whose company publishes the title, there [...]