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Attacking journalists is attacking press freedom

I refer to the prime minister's statement that press freedom and violence against media are two separate issues published on May 6 (in Sin Chew ).

With respect I disagree.

The environment in which the media operates is a crucial ingredient in determining whether media is free or not.

A scrutiny of the report by Freedom House and Reporters without Borders indicate that the presence of the following, among other things, would render a press "not free."

  • There is a requirement of licence
  • Laws/regulations which restrict reporting
  • Censorship by the government
  • Journalist and media outlets are subject to violence and harassment
  • Concentration of ownership
  • Bribery among journalists

It is not only archaic but an affront to press freedom in the first place to have a law which requires a licence to own a printing press and a permit to publish newspapers.

To amend the law to make the powers of the minister in granting, refusing or revoking a licence or permit subject to judicial review does not make a press free.

Such amendments serve to be merely cosmetic as it was reported that the home minister called for a meeting with the editors of major dailies and broadcast media on the eve of Bersih 3.0.

The minister neither had denied nor disclosed what transpired in the meeting.

This was followed by Astro's infamous censoring of BBC news coverage of the Bersih 3.0 rally on the grounds of suitability of local content and regulation.

This disgraceful act that shocked many subscribers of Astro were endorsed by the information minister.

The attack on journalists at the anti-Lynas demonstration in Penang was equally shameful. More so when investigations are still pending.

The brutal aggression of the police against the journalists during the Bersih 3.0 rally seems to drive home the fearful message that they should not report excessive aggression by the powers-that-be.

Freedom of information, facilitated by a free press, is a human right.

Any attempt to stifle it, be it physical, legal or political definitely violates freedom of the press.

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