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Articles - Malaysia

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Malaysia

Journalists targeted in rally for electoral reform

Security forces attacked both local and foreign journalists last week with tear gas and water cannons while cracking down on a rally for electoral reform in Kuala Lumpur, reports Malaysia's Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ), as well as international IFEX members.

Saudi Arabia / Malaysia

Blogger faces charges of blasphemy, apostasy after Mohammed tweets

A Saudi blogger whose tweets about the Prophet Mohammed were deemed blasphemous and tantamount to apostasy has been deported from Malaysia back to Saudi Arabia, where he is certain to face trial and possibly the death penalty, report Malaysia's Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ), the Arabic Network for Human Rights Information (ANHRI), Human Rights Watch and other IFEX members.

Somalia / Malaysia

Malaysian journalist killed by AU forces

A Malaysian journalist was killed and another wounded after African Union (AU) forces fired on a Malaysian humanitarian convoy in Mogadishu on 2 September, report the National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ), the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), Reporters Without Borders (RSF) and the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ).

Awards / Malaysia

Cartoonist Zunar receives award for courage

Malaysian cartoonist Zulkiflee Anwar Ul Haque (Zunar) has fiercely resisted state censorship, deployed creative strategies to keep his cartoons alive for the Malaysian public, and courageously fought all the institutions of state power that have worked against him. Cartoonists Rights Network International (CRNI) presented its annual Award for Courage in Editorial Cartooning to Zunar on 7 July at a ceremony in St. Petersburg, U.S.

Malaysia

Atmosphere "euphoric" despite arrests of protesters

As expected, the tens of thousands of peaceful protesters who took to the streets of Kuala Lumpur demanding electoral reform were met with police violence and arrests, report the Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ) and ARTICLE 19. But the mood in Malaysia is "euphoric", says CIJ: the rally, defying a government ban, went down as the largest in Malaysian history.

Malaysia

Government fuelling tensions over rally for clean elections

A rally for free and fair elections in Malaysia hasn't even happened yet, but those who have been promoting or reporting on it are getting harassed and arrested, report the Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ), the Southeast Asian Press Alliance (SEAPA), Human Rights Watch and other IFEX members. The members have called on the Malaysian government to allow the 9 July march to proceed and journalists to cover the story without fear of reprisals.

Malaysia

Eighty arrested in standoff over control of Perak state

Last week the Malaysian government under new Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak arrested nearly 80 writers, opposition members and activists who were protesting the takeover of the northern state of Perak by the ruling federal government coalition Barisan Nasional, reports IFEX interim member the Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ) in Malaysia.

Malaysia

GOBIERNO ACOSA A "BLOGUEROS" QUE CRITICAN A LA REALEZA

Malaysia

LE GOUVERNEMENT POURCHASSE LES BLOGUEURS QUI CRITIQUENT LA ROYAUTÉ

Malaysia

GOVERNMENT HOUNDS BLOGGERS THAT CRITICISE ROYALTY

Eight people have been charged with criticising on the Internet Malaysia's Sultan of Perak, as the authorities stepped up a crackdown on bloggers, reports IFEX interim member the Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ) as well as Amnesty International.

Malaysia

UN BLOGUEUR POPULAIRE EST REMIS EN LIBERTÉ

Malaysia

LIBERAN A "BLOGUERO" POPULAR

Malaysia

POPULAR BLOGGER RELEASED

IFEX members welcome the release of blogger Raja Petra Kamaruddin, who had been detained for nearly two months under Malaysia's draconian Internal Security Act (ISA).

Malaysia

LE GOUVERNEMENT RECOURT À LA LOI SUR LA SÉCURITÉ POUR FAIRE TAIRE LES CRITIQUES

Malaysia

GOVERNMENT USES SECURITY ACT TO SILENCE CRITICS

A prominent blogger, a journalist and an opposition politician were arrested under Malaysia's draconian Internal Security Act (ISA) last week, in what some IFEX members and activists are calling the start of a wider crackdown ahead of an anticipated opposition push to gain control of parliament.

Malaysia

GOBIERNO BLOQUEA SITIO POPULAR DE NOTICIAS

Malaysia

LE GOUVERNEMENT BLOQUE UN POPULAIRE SITE WEB DE NOUVELLES

Malaysia

GOVERNMENT BLOCKS POPULAR NEWS SITE

In an unprecedented move, the Malaysian government has ordered all of the country's 21 Internet service providers (ISPs) to block the controversial political blog Malaysia Today http://www.malaysia-today.net , report the Southeast Asian Press Alliance (SEAPA) and its Malaysian partner, the Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ), the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and local press reports.

Malaysia

AUTORIDADES USAN LEY DE SEDICIÓN PARA SILENCIAR A CRÍTICOS

Malaysia

LES AUTORITÉS SE SERVENT DE LA LOI SUR LA SÉDITION POUR MUSELER LES CRITIQUES

Malaysia

AUTHORITIES USE SEDITION ACT TO MUZZLE CRITICS

In the past week, Malaysia has been using threats of sedition - a criminal offence punishable by up to three years in jail - to silence critics and members of the opposition, say the Southeast Asian Press Alliance (SEAPA), its affiliate in Malaysia the Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ), and the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ).

Malaysia

NOUVEL ESPOIR POUR LA LIBERTÉ DE LA PRESSE APRÈS UNE SURPRISE ÉLECTORALE

Malaysia

NUEVA ESPERANZA PARA LIBERTAD CON TRASTORNO ELECTORAL

Malaysia

NEW HOPE FOR PRESS FREEDOM WITH ELECTION UPSET

The Malaysian government's unprecedented losses in national elections last month will hopefully provide the long-awaited drive for media reform, say Malaysia's Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ) and the Southeast Asian Press Alliance (SEAPA).

Malaysia

LE GOUVERNEMENT INVOQUE LA LOI SUR LA SÉCURITÉ POUR RÉPRIMER LES MANIFESTATIONS DE PROTESTATION

Malaysia

GOBIERNO INVOCA BANDO DE SEGURIDAD PARA SUPRIMIR MANIFESTACIONES

Malaysia

GOVERNMENT INVOKES SECURITY ACT TO SUPPRESS PROTESTS

The Malaysian authorities should immediately release five ethnic Indian leaders being held under the country's Internal Security Act (ISA), which allows for detention without trial, say the Southeast Asian Press Alliance (SEAPA), its local partner the Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ), and Human Rights Watch.

Malaysia

MANIFESTACIONES A FAVOR DE LA DEMOCRACIA SIGUEN ADELANTE A PESAR DE LOS OBSTÁCULOS

Malaysia

EN DÉPIT DES OBSTACLES, DES PROTESTATIONS SE FONT ENTENDRE EN FAVEUR DE LA DÉMOCRATIE

Malaysia

DEMOCRACY PROTESTS GO AHEAD DESPITE OBSTACLES

Tens of thousands of Malaysians marched to the Sultan's National Palace on 10 November in Kuala Lumpur calling for electoral reforms, despite police beatings, government censorship of the march in the mainstream media, and heavy rain, reports the Southeast Asian Press Alliance (SEAPA) and its local partner, the Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ).

Malaysia

NIEGAN A CIUDADANOS ACCESO A INFORMACIÓN AMBIENTAL

Malaysia

DES CITOYENS SE VOIENT NIER L'ACCÈS À DES RENSEIGNEMENTS SUR L'ENVIRONNEMENT

Malaysia

CITIZENS DENIED ACCESS TO ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION

The Malaysian government has come under harsh criticism from free expression groups for encouraging a "culture of secrecy" that prevents citizens from accessing important information about environmental problems.

Malaysia

LEYES REPRESIVAS COARTAN LIBERTAD DE PRENSA

Malaysia

DES LOIS RÉPRESSIVES ENCHAÎNENT LA LIBERTÉ DE LA PRESSE

Malaysia

REPRESSIVE LAWS SHACKLE PRESS FREEDOM

Decades of repressive laws and ownership by Malaysia's ruling political parties have created a climate of self-censorship in news rooms and severely hampered the media's ability to play its role as the public's watchdog, said the Southeast Asian Press Alliance (SEAPA) in report released last week.

Malaysia

PROSCRIBEN 18 LIBROS SOBRE ISLAM Y RELIGIÓN

Malaysia

DIX-HUIT LIVRES SUR L'ISLAM ET LA RELIGION SONT INTERDITS

Malaysia

18 BOOKS ON ISLAM AND RELIGION BANNED

Since mid-June, Malaysian authorities have banned 18 books on Islam and religion on the grounds that they could "disrupt peace and harmony," report the Southeast Asian Press Alliance (SEAPA) and ARTICLE 19. The Ministry of Internal Security has now banned more than 45 books since 2003.

Malaysia

DES BLOGUEURS SONT HARCELÉS PAR LES AUTORITÉS

Malaysia

ESCRITORES DE BLOGS ACOSADOS POR AUTORIDADES

Malaysia

BLOGGERS HARASSED BY AUTHORITIES

The Southeast Asian Press Alliance (SEAPA) is raising concerns over what appears to be growing harassment of individuals who use online blogs to express views and share information in Malaysia. The IFEX member says the government's policing of the Internet is reaching a critical stage that needs to be recognised and confronted by free expression advocates.

Malaysia

ARTICLE 19 CONTRIBUE À PROMOUVOIR L'ACCÈS À L'INFORMATION EN MALAISIE

Malaysia

ARTICLE 19 AYUDA A PROMOVER EL ACCESO A LA INFORMACIÓN EN MALASIA

Malaysia

ARTICLE 19 HELPS PROMOTE ACCESS TO INFORMATION IN MALAYSIA

In Malaysia, free expression advocates are coming together to campaign for access to information legislation, thanks in part to the efforts of ARTICLE 19. The IFEX member recently helped organise a groundbreaking workshop in Kuala Lumpur in which civil society groups agreed to forge a coalition to promote citizens' rights to obtain government information.

Malaysia

LES AUTORITÉS MENACENT LES SITES WEB DE RÉPRESSION

Malaysia

AUTORIDADES AMENAZAN INICIAR OFENSIVA CONTRA SITIOS WEB

Malaysia

AUTHORITIES THREATEN CRACKDOWN ON WEBSITES

The Malaysian government has threatened to use national security legislation to shutter a website it says is spreading "views ridiculing Islam," a move that could cast a chill on Internet users in the country, warn the Southeast Asian Press Alliance (SEAPA) and Reporters Without Borders (Reporters sans frontières, RSF).

Malaysia

Malasia: Ciberactivistas asiáticos señalan éxitos y fracasos

Malaysia

MALAISIE : LES CYBERMILITANTS D'ASIE CONSTATENT QUELQUES SUCCÈS, ET DES ÉCHECS AUSSI

Malaysia

MALAYSIA: ASIAN CYBERACTIVISTS NOTE SUCCESSES AND FAILURES

In a recent book published in Kuala Lumpur, three co-authors examine political activism on the Internet in Asia, taking stock of some of the successes and failures of cyberactivists who challenge the various censorship regimes in the continent's countries.

Malaysia

LEY DE SEDICIÓN INFRINGE LIBRE EXPRESIÓN, DICE ARTICLE 19

Malaysia

LA LOI SUR LA SÉDITION BRIME LA LIBERTÉ D'EXPRESSION, DIT ARTICLE 19

Malaysia

SEDITION ACT BREACHES FREE EXPRESSION, SAYS ARTICLE 19

Malaysia's 1948 Sedition Act, used widely by Malaysian authorities to crack down on opposition figures, activists and critical media, is in "serious breach" of freedom of expression and should be repealed, said ARTICLE 19 in a legal analysis released last week.

Malaysia

Malaysia: Journalist Released From Jail

17 June 2003

Malaysia

DESCENTE DE LA POLICE CONTRE UN QUOTIDIEN EN LIGNE INDÉPENDANT

Malaysia

POLICÍA ALLANA DIARIO INDEPENDIENTE EN LÍNEA

Malaysia

POLICE RAID INDEPENDENT ONLINE DAILY

The Southeast Asian Press Alliance (SEAPA) and Reporters Without Borders (Reporters sans frontières, RSF) have expressed alarm following news this week that Malaysian police raided the offices of "Malaysiakini," the country's leading online independent newspaper and a frequent critic of the government.

Malaysia

PERIODISTA EN HUELGA DE HAMBRE CONTRA LEY DE SEGURIDAD REPRESIVA

Malaysia

FAIT LA GRÈVE DE LA FAIM CONTRE UNE LOI RÉPRESSIVE SUR LA SÉCURITÉ

Malaysia

JOURNALIST ON HUNGER STRIKE AGAINST REPRESSIVE SECURITY LAW

The Malaysian government is under growing pressure to release journalist Hishamuddin Rais, one of six opposition critics who have begun a hunger strike to protest against their year-long arbitrary detention. Rais, a contributor to the independent online newspaper Malaysiakini.com, and five other dissidents were imprisoned in April 2001 after the government accused them of plotting to "overthrow the government," says Reporters Without Borders (Reporters sans frontières, RSF).

Malaysia

¿FUTURO DE MALAYSIAKINI.COM INCIERTO?

Malaysia

L?AVENIR DE MALAYSIAKINI.COM EST-IL INCERTAIN?

Malaysia

MALAYSIAKINI.COM'S FUTURE IN DOUBT?

The future of Malaysia's leading independent online news service, Malaysiakini.com, could be in doubt if the government decides to include the Internet in its changes to a media-licensing law, INDEX on Censorship (INDEX) and the Digital Freedom Network (DFN) report. Although an official from the Energy, Communications and Multimedia Ministry stated recently that the government has no intention of regulating internet sites, Malaysiakini.com's editor-in-chief Steven Gan has expressed scepticism, says DFN. Gan believes officials in other ministries have other plans, including introduction of revisions to the media licensing system.

Malaysia

COALICIÓN GOBERNANTE ESTRECHA CONTROL DE PROPIEDAD DE MEDIOS

Malaysia

LA COALITION AU POUVOIR RESSERRE SON EMPRISE SUR LA PROPRIÉTÉ DES MÉDIAS

Malaysia

RULING COALITION TIGHTENS OWNERSHIP GRIP ON MEDIA

The acquisition of two Chinese-language dailies by the Malaysia Chinese Association (MCA), the second-largest political party in the ruling National Front coalition, is cause for concern, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ). On 31 May, the MCA's investment arm, Huaren Holdings, acquired a 72.35% stake in Nanyang Press Holdings, publisher of "Nanyang Siang Pau" and "China Press". CPJ does not normally take positions on media ownership issues, but it fears that this particular takeover could threaten the editorial independence of the newspapers, which are two of the country's three top-selling Chinese-language newspapers. CPJ is urging the MCA to ensure that both newspapers retain their editorial independence.

Malaysia

ATACAN A PRENSA INDEPENDIENTE Y EXTRANJERA "ANTIPATRIÓTICAS"

Malaysia

ATTAQUES CONTRE LA PRESSE INDÉPENDANTE

Malaysia

"UNPATRIOTIC" INDEPENDENT AND FOREIGN PRESS ATTACKED

Recent harassment of the independent online news service Malaysiakini.com, reported by the Thai Journalists Association (TJA), the Free Media Movement (FMM), and the International Press Institute (IPI), coincides with government threats and actions against foreign publications.

Malaysia

LA RÉPRESSION RAVIVE LA CRAINTE DE CENSURE SUR INTERNET

Malaysia

OFENSIVA CAUSA NUEVOS TEMORES DE CENSURA DE INTERNET

Malaysia

CRACKDOWN RENEWS FEARS OF INTERNET CENSORSHIP

rns for the country's print media, but also for the country's future Internet policies, reports malaysiakini.com. On 2 March, "Harakah" was granted a publication license for only two issues per month instead of two per week as it formerly held, reports the World Association of Newspapers (WAN). Under Malaysia's Printing Press and Publications Act, newspapers must apply for publication licenses every year. While the Energy, Communications and Multimedia Ministry has twice stated that "Harakah"'s publication restrictions will also apply to its Internet edition, the Deputy Home Minister Chor Chee Heung, has stated publicly that "there would be no censorship of the Net." Meanwhile, the Ministry of Energy, Communications and Multimedia Ministry also stated that the restrictions imposed on "Harakah" would have no repercussions for Internet-based media groups such as malaysiakini.com. The lack of consensus and clarity between Ministries on this issue leaves groups such as malaysiakini.com concerned about the government's Internet policies.

Malaysia

LES NOUVEAUX MÉDIAS DÉFIENT LA RÉPRESSION

Malaysia

MEDIOS ALTERNATIVOS SE ENFRENTAN A OFENSIVA CONTRA MEDIOS

Malaysia

ALTERNATIVE MEDIA CHALLENGES CRACKDOWN ON MEDIA

Increasingly, Malaysian journalists who criticise the government or support the opposition have faced a media crackdown, say ARTICLE 19, Human Rights Watch (HRW), Amnesty International (AI) and Malaysiakini.com. Malaysiakini.com notes that all non-governmental media in Malaysia has been labelled as "pro-opposition." This attack on the media has accompanied an overall crackdown on the country’s opposition. In January, a number of opposition leaders, attorneys, activists and prominent government critics were arrested, says HRW. According to AI, the government charged these individuals under a number of restrictive laws, including the Sedition Act and the Official Secrets Act (OSA). ARTICLE 19 also notes the fear that, under the 1984 Printing Presses and Publications Act, a number of newspapers may not have their publishing permits renewed.

Malaysia

DECLINA AMBIENTE PARA LIBERTAD DE PRENSA

Malaysia

DÉTÉRIORATION DES CONDITIONS DE LA LIBERTÉ DE LA PRESSE

Malaysia

DECLINING CLIMATE FOR PRESS FREEDOM

The Malaysian government continues to control press freedom, reports Canadian Journalists for Free Expression (CJFE) based on information received from sources in Malaysia. In anticipation of a forthcoming general election, the Malaysian government announced that while opposition parties

Malaysia

EST L?INDICE DU PROGRÈS DE LA LIBERTÉ DE LA PRESSE