The Malaysian Insider
By G. Manimaran
"The meeting took place for an hour and after that, they asked me to see them next Monday, perhaps there are some matters they are not satisfied and want to see the chief editor," he added.
Earlier, Perkasa sources revealed the meeting with the authorities.
“Yes, the Home Ministry has called in the Suara Perkasa chief editor today, the meeting is going on now and it is with the secretary-general,” a Perkasa source told The Malaysian Insider.
Wee, who is also deputy education minister, has said he is considering suing the newspaper for its report. Perkasa had slammed Wee for apparently questioning Malay rights when he reportedly asked recently if the Mara scholarship programme for Bumiputera students would be scrapped together with the Public Service Department (PSD) scholarships.
“Perkasa urges the Government to arrest Wee Ka Siong under the ISA (Internal Security Act),” said Perkasa deputy president Datuk Abdul Rahman Abu Bakar in the front-page article of the newspaper’s maiden issue.
The ministry, which has powers over all publications in the country, had earlier disclosed it will not renew the publishing permit for Suara Keadilan as it was dissatisfied with the PKR newspaper’s explanation for its last issue headlined “Felda Bankrupt”. Printing permits are issued annually but can be retracted by the ministry.
Felda, the federal land development authority, has threatened a RM200 million suit against the PKR paper, its publishers and printers, for the report which it had denied despite admitting that its cash reserves had dwindled from RM4 billion in 2004 to some RM1.35 billion last year.
Pakatan Rakyat (PR) leaders were outraged over the non-renewal of permit for Suara Keadilan and pointed out to possible double standards as Suara Perkasa could continue despite invoking the ISA.
But Daud added he had no problems about meeting the authorities which recently issued the printing permit to the Malay rights group.
"I have no issues to meet them if called. I came to this field with the awareness of the risks and challenges that have to be faced, so I have no problems," he said when asked what action the ministry might take against the newspaper.
"This is a normal thing, they want to monitor our publication … so they come here," he added.
Asked if the ministry action was linked to a statement by Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin seeking the authorities to investigate Suara Keadilan for publishing an inflammatory article, Daud said he would refrain from connecting today's action to anyone in particular.
Daud is expected to meet senior ministry officials at noon on Monday.
Independent Pasir Mas MP Datuk Ibrahim Ali formed Perkasa in the aftermath of Election 2008 and has been fighting against what he said were attempts to erode Malay rights.
The newspaper is sold for RM 2 and is funded by Media Perkasa Sdn Bhd which has a paid-up capital of RM500,000.
By G. Manimaran
KUALA LUMPUR, July 2 — The Home Ministry has asked Suara Perkasa to explain why its maiden issue published this week had called for the arrest of MCA Youth chief Datuk Dr Wee Ka Siong under the Internal Security Act (ISA).
The Malaysian Insider understands the chief editor of the Malay right wing group Perkasa publication was asked to attend a meeting at the Home Ministry in Putrajaya at 5pm today. Another meeting has been scheduled for Monday, newspaper officials said.
"Actually two Home Minstry officers came to our office and took several first edition of the Suara Perkasa and asked the editor (Amirudin Mohamed) to see them at their office," the newspaper's chief editor Daud Ibrahim told The Malaysian Insider.
The Malaysian Insider understands the chief editor of the Malay right wing group Perkasa publication was asked to attend a meeting at the Home Ministry in Putrajaya at 5pm today. Another meeting has been scheduled for Monday, newspaper officials said.
"Actually two Home Minstry officers came to our office and took several first edition of the Suara Perkasa and asked the editor (Amirudin Mohamed) to see them at their office," the newspaper's chief editor Daud Ibrahim told The Malaysian Insider.
"The meeting took place for an hour and after that, they asked me to see them next Monday, perhaps there are some matters they are not satisfied and want to see the chief editor," he added.
Earlier, Perkasa sources revealed the meeting with the authorities.
“Yes, the Home Ministry has called in the Suara Perkasa chief editor today, the meeting is going on now and it is with the secretary-general,” a Perkasa source told The Malaysian Insider.
Wee, who is also deputy education minister, has said he is considering suing the newspaper for its report. Perkasa had slammed Wee for apparently questioning Malay rights when he reportedly asked recently if the Mara scholarship programme for Bumiputera students would be scrapped together with the Public Service Department (PSD) scholarships.
“Perkasa urges the Government to arrest Wee Ka Siong under the ISA (Internal Security Act),” said Perkasa deputy president Datuk Abdul Rahman Abu Bakar in the front-page article of the newspaper’s maiden issue.
The ministry, which has powers over all publications in the country, had earlier disclosed it will not renew the publishing permit for Suara Keadilan as it was dissatisfied with the PKR newspaper’s explanation for its last issue headlined “Felda Bankrupt”. Printing permits are issued annually but can be retracted by the ministry.
Felda, the federal land development authority, has threatened a RM200 million suit against the PKR paper, its publishers and printers, for the report which it had denied despite admitting that its cash reserves had dwindled from RM4 billion in 2004 to some RM1.35 billion last year.
Pakatan Rakyat (PR) leaders were outraged over the non-renewal of permit for Suara Keadilan and pointed out to possible double standards as Suara Perkasa could continue despite invoking the ISA.
But Daud added he had no problems about meeting the authorities which recently issued the printing permit to the Malay rights group.
"I have no issues to meet them if called. I came to this field with the awareness of the risks and challenges that have to be faced, so I have no problems," he said when asked what action the ministry might take against the newspaper.
"This is a normal thing, they want to monitor our publication … so they come here," he added.
Asked if the ministry action was linked to a statement by Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin seeking the authorities to investigate Suara Keadilan for publishing an inflammatory article, Daud said he would refrain from connecting today's action to anyone in particular.
Daud is expected to meet senior ministry officials at noon on Monday.
Independent Pasir Mas MP Datuk Ibrahim Ali formed Perkasa in the aftermath of Election 2008 and has been fighting against what he said were attempts to erode Malay rights.
The newspaper is sold for RM 2 and is funded by Media Perkasa Sdn Bhd which has a paid-up capital of RM500,000.
No comments:
Post a Comment