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In less then ten days since the Home Affairs Ministry chose not renew the publication permit of the Tamil Daily Makkal Osai, it ‘reconsidered’ its decision and renewed the permit after all.
It indicates a few good things about the Ministry. First, it shows that the Ministry does indeed listen to the public. Second it indicates that the Ministry is willing to change its decision if it does not sit well with public opinion. On these I congratulate the Government. It brightens the path towards a more interactive and responsive government.
However, the Ministry’s reversal also raises several questions. What has so drastically changed in the last ten days that warranted the reversal? Does this not indicate that the Ministry’s decision not to renew in the first place was based on subjective grounds?
This whole episode also highlights the thin ice upon which our press thread. The employees of the daily would be have been put in a state of uncertainty and despair during the ‘ban’. The livelihood of people working in the press is entirely dependant on some decision taken by someone somewhere based on grounds upon which they have no control.
A free, vigilant and robust press is essential for a vibrant democracy.
The Printing Presses and Publication Act 1984 must be reviewed.
I would like to hear your opinion on this.
Murugesan Sinnandavar
1 comment:
Firstly, yes it is a ‘ban’, secondly this is Malaysia, not the U.S or Britain or even India, there is no free press here. The press is only free to report anything for as long as it paints the government in a positive light.
Even after a new state government in Selangor, a majority of the presses are still predominantly pro BN government. Force of habit or fear of reprisal if the BN come backs to power, I don’t know. However you choose to view it, it seams that the press themselves are self perpetuating their censure. If they don’t to break free from this incarceration now, they will never be free.
Speaking about ‘Makkal Osai’; on one hand you have this timid press and other hand you have an errant press. Come on, you will definitely know what I mean. You your self have been one of their casualties, all because you are in a different camp.
It’s very honorable of you to advocate a free press and the review of related laws. My contention is, even with the existing government control, you still have a few papers that are bias on the opposite spectrum.
Laws can be reviewed and bans can be revoked but if the Malaysian presses themselves are not able to be totally non partisan and commit themselves to the responsibility of reporting with independence, sincerity, truthfulness, accuracy, impartiality, fair play, and decency which forms a part the ‘canons of journalism’ then I am afraid there must be some kind of control.
Thank you for giving me the opportunity that the press never did; to express my honest opinions.
Jaya
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