Three years after an application was made by the Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR), the government has finally granted a permit to the political party to publish its official organ, Suara Keadilan. SUARAM welcomes the government’s decision, albeit three years late.
More importantly, SUARAM acknowledges the Home Minister Syed Hamid Albar’s pledge to respect press freedom when he said: “. [W]e need press freedom in order for us to have a check and balance in [the] government.” The minister has also noted that he will re-look into the requirement of annual licence for the publication of newspapers.
However, while welcoming this latest decision and pledge, we are also cautious as the government has on many occasions unfulfilled its pledges, and even worse, acted on the contrary.
The arbitrary banning of Makkal Osai just several days ago demonstrates the inconsistencies of the government with regard to its commitment to human rights and fundamental liberties.
While the minister has said that the reason of the banning of Makkal Osai was based on lengthy observation which found that the paper had breached various guidelines that are stipulated in the publication permit, the decision was nonetheless unacceptably arbitrary. The ministry has not publicly made known which of the guidelines the paper had purportedly breached. How then would the ministry’s decision be accountable? Further, there is also no independent review of the decisions of the ministry.
The approval of Suara Keadilan’s publication permit and the government’s pledges to respect press freedom will amount to nothing if restrictive laws, particularly the Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984 (PPPA), are still in place. With such a restrictive legislation as the PPPA in place, newspapers and magazines are required to renew its licence annually with the Home Minister and their licences can be revoked at any time at the whims of the minister. Press freedom is thus severely undermined, as the newspapers and magazines are effectively obliged to the minister who has absolute discretion with regards to their publications.
SUARAM therefore reiterates its calls for the government to abolish the PPPA. The government should do so immediately if it is serious about upholding press freedom. Press freedom cannot be achieved by mere rhetoric and cosmetic measures without putting an end to restrictive laws.
John Liu
Coordinator
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