KUALA LUMPUR, 23 March 2009: The Home Ministry has suspended the publishing permits of Harakah and Suara Keadilan, the party organs for PAS and Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) with immediate effect.
Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar said the action was taken because they had violated the conditions of their permits.
He said they often published articles which questioned the royalty and sensationalised news that were defamatory and aimed at causing confusion and disharmony in society.
“This action does not mean the government is curbing press freedom but to preserve peace and harmony in our multi-racial society,” he told Bernama.
He added that the government never restricted political parties from propagating their philosophies and ideologies through their party organs but would not tolerate the writing of lies which could cause serious conflicts among the people.
He added that Harakah and Suara Keadilan had been warned many times but had chosen to ignore the warnings and also kept selling copies to the public though they were meant for only party members.
It is understood the suspension notice for Harakah was sent to PAS secretary-general Datuk Kamaruddin Jaffar while for Suara Keadilan, to PKR president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail. — Bernama
