Ministry’s show-cause letter to Star unnecessary, spotlights draconian PPPA yet again
February 28, 2012
28 February 2012
The Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ) Malaysia regrets the Home Ministry’s decision to issue a show-cause letter dated today to The Star for publishing a photograph of singer Erykah Badu with tattoos, including one with the Arabic word for “Allah”, on 27 February 2012.
The Star, following an alert from its own staff, put up an apology on their website and social media platforms removed the said photograph from its website yesterday, and printed an apology in its newspaper today. According to tweets from the Star‘s social media accounts, the newspaper was informed last night of the show-cause letter on the Star2 article from the Home Ministry, which was dated and received today.
CIJ regrets the disproportionate response from the Home Ministry for a few reasons. The Home ministry’s letter came after The Star apologised for using the photograph. The publication has not caused any harm to the Muslim community nor to the newspaper’s readers. The issue only caught the attention of some sectors of the public after an apology has been issued and after news of the show-cause letter became public knowledge.
CIJ views the Home Ministry’s intervention as unnecessary and detrimental to media freedom. Media needs to be free to report on sensitive matters without being accused of perpetuating the perceived offence. If The Star had committed a mistake, these are easily rectifiable without the use of law – through dialogue and discussion of issues.
Such incidents should not be used as an excuse by the Home Ministry to revoke a paper’s publishing permit under the Printing Presses and Publications Act (PPPA) 1984. More importantly, it reflects the extent of the power accorded to the Home Ministry over print media under this draconian law. This latest sorry episode shows yet again how the PPPA is easily used as a tool to keep print media under executive control and why it must therefore be abolished in the people’s interest.
The Centre for Independent Journalism, Malaysia (CIJ) is a non-profit organisation that aspires for a society that is democratic, just and free, where all peoples will enjoy free media and the freedom to express, seek and impart information.