Published: Friday September 11, 2009 MYT 2:22:00 PM
Updated: Friday September 11, 2009 MYT 2:27:07 PM
MCA to MCMC: Back off on Malaysiakini
KUALA LUMPUR: The repeated visits by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission to the office of news portal Malaysiakini could be misconstrued as harassment aimed at stifling the independence of the media, says the MCA.
The MCA’s information and communication bureau spokesman Lee Wei Kiat said that the party is concerned that the Commission, as a regulating body, will be perceived as attempting to silence the press.
He noted the similarity to the controversy of Sin Chew Daily journalist Tan Hoon Cheng who was detained under the Internal Security Act for merely carrying out her job after she had reported on apparently seditious statements made by Bukut Bendera Umno division chief Ahmad Ismail.
In a statement on Friday, Lee noted that the Commission had visited Malaysiakini’s office three times in the last week and had interviewed 12 of its staff.
Lee said MCA is calling for the Commission to allow Malaysiakini’s media crew to continue carrying out their duties professionally and uninterrupted by marathon interview sessions.
“Malaysiakini’s editors, journalists and technical crew have been co-operative with the officers from the Commission.
“The reporters and photographers are earning an honest living reporting the news,” said Lee.
He added that the Commission should take into account the Prime Minister’s stand on Aug 7 that the Government will not filter or censor the Internet.
Lee also urged the authorities and regulating bodies to be fair in their investigations.
The visits were part of the Commission’s probe into the online publication after it refused to delete two videos related to the controversial Aug 28 “cow head protest” against the Selangor government’s decision to relocate a Hindu temple from Section 19 to Section 23 in Shah Alam.
The first video was of the protestors dragging the decapitated head of cow, then proceeding to stamp and spit on it. Hindus consider the cow a sacred animal.
One of the protest leaders was also reported to have threatened bloodshed if the Selangor government proceeded with its relocation plan.
The second video is of a press conference held by Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein after he had met with the protestors.
The Commission sent a letter to Malaysiakini claiming that the portal was in breach of Section 211/233 of the Communication and Multimedia Act 1998 for displaying videos of the anti-temple protest and the Hishammuddin press conference.
It said it had received complaints from the public that the videos were annoying and disturbing.
Malaysiakini editor-in-chief Steven Gan has refused to take down the videos, saying they were news items and of public interest.
Related Stories:
AG: Cow head protestors will be charged in court
MIC Youth wants Khir to say sorry over 'cow head' incident
Gan sticks to his guns over Malaysiakini videos of protests
Malaysiakini asked to remove ‘cow’s head’ videos
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