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Media Statement An Eksklusif ban on freedom of expression The Home Ministry's banning of the weekly Malay tabloid, Eksklusif, along with the non-renewal of other publication permits, has reinforced public perception that the government is determined to clamp down on publications that are seen to be critical, investigative and independent. This action against Eksklusif perhaps reflects the government's contempt of the very notion of press freedom and freedom of expression, which should be the cornerstone of a thriving democracy. It has been seen as the latest move in a continuous official drive to narrow the space for legitimate dissent and alternative ideas. |
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Balanced reporting in the mainstream media? |
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If it is true that Eksklusif had not been balanced in its reporting - the official justification for the ban - then mainstream newspapers such as Utusan Malaysia, New Straits Times and The Star should also face a similar fate. These publications have shown a tendency to provide one-sided reporting, ignoring the right of aggrieved parties to respond to certain assertions and accusations hurled at them by other parties or individuals. The mainstream media's coverage of the last general election, for instance, was replete with unfair and unethical reporting. Will the Home Ministry care to investigate and arrest this unhealthy trend? And while it is at it, would the Home Ministry also clarify the status of the publication permits for the monthly Malay political magazine, Detik, and the monthly Malay teen magazine, Al-Wasilah, both of which have been unable to continue publication? Aliran urges the Home Ministry to take a balanced view of real journalism before it takes any drastic action that may violate the people's right to freedom of expression and tarnish the image of the country.
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