Malaysia promises press freedom: report

Kuala Lumpur - Malaysia's home minister has pledged to review the country's repressive media laws, promising to boost press freedom, a report said Sunday.

"I have told my officers that I want to have a re-look at the Printing Presses and Publications Act so that we can move with the times," Home Minister Syed Hamid Albar was quoted as saying in the Star daily.

He was referring to legislation that requires newspapers and other publications to apply for licences that are renewed annually.

He added that a publishing permit had been approved for the opposition Keadilan party's newspaper. The party had been applying since its formation in 1999.

Malaysia's media are largely state-linked and kept on a tight leash.

Media watchdog Reporters Without Borders ranks the country 124 out of 169 on its worldwide press freedom index, and says the main media are "often compelled to ignore or to play down the many events organised by the opposition."

But Syed Hamid said he wanted to change that perception.

"We need press freedom in order for us to have a check and balance in government. We are not trying to control you but we want everyone to contribute to the nation-building process," he said.

"Why should we let ourselves (government) become unpopular by having such regulations?" he asked.

Last week, a leading Tamil-language newspaper's permit was not renewed by the home ministry because it had violated guidelines on racial harmony.

Syed Hamid said the publication had breached guidelines stipulating that newspapers should not raise sensitive issues that could threaten racial harmony and the country's stability. -- Associated Press

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