Malaysia: More grief for Malaysiakini. The Malaysian internet news site
Malaysiakini, under investigation for publishing an allegedly seditious
letter has been told by its landlord to clear out move out of its offices -
in line with government efforts to silence the highly regarded news service.
The notice came after police raided Malaysiakini's office on 22 January and
seized all 19 computers used by the internet newswire, which claims a daily
readership of about 100,000. Malaysiakini editor Steven Gan said the
landlord told the daily to leave by the end of February because it was
involved in "unlawful" activities.
The landlord, PC Suria, a computer distributor, is wholly owned by the
state-backed enterprise NASCOM. "I'm outraged by the eviction order. This
is yet another attempt to try to shut Malaysiakini down. We believe that
the authorities have put pressure on PC Suria to evict us," Gan told AFP.
Representatives of the youth wing of the ruling United Malays National
Organisation (UMNO) triggered the raid by complaining to police that an
anonymous letter published by Malaysiakini on 9 January likening the group
to the US white-supremacist Ku Klux Klan. Police said the letter provoked
'ethnic hatred' and confiscated the website's computers when Gan refused to
reveal the author of the letter.
Free speech groups say the strategy violates a government pledge not to
censor the internet. Malaysiakini is free of licensing requirements because
the government pledged there would be no control of Internet content as
part of the development of Malaysia's 'Multimedia Super Corridor' - a
programme to develop a 'silicon valley' style technology hub in the country.
Penang-based social reform movement Aliran, the National Human Rights
Society and the human rights group Suaram, said Malaysians have a duty to
themselves and the country to stand by the website in light of the police
raid and eviction notice last week.
"Don't allow ourselves to be kept ignorant, uninformed or misinformed.
Defend Malaysiakini now," read their urgent appeal in a joint petition
attached to the signature campaign.
Malaysiakini online. and the campaign latest.
RSF report via IFEX.
