The government should abolish the requirement for newspapers to apply for a licence annually if it believes in freedom of the press, a former Chinese newspaper columnist stated today.

"If the government truly believes in media freedom and its ability to act responsibly, it should abolish the Printing Presses and Publications Act which requires the media to apply for a licence annually," said Wong Chin Huat, an activist with the Writers Alliance for Media Independence (Wami).

"Or else, it (press freedom) is at best, lip service, and at worst, hypocrisy," he added.

Wong was responding to the New Straits Times report today where Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi was quoted as saying that the government does not impose restrictions on the media which is free to carry out its duties.

He, however, cautioned the media to act responsibly and ensure that their reporting do not cause religious or racial tension.

"We should all refrain from raising sensitive issues that can affect unity and goodwill among the people. Although we are already united, this has to be strengthened," the deputy premier said in response to a question on press freedom.

No restrictions imposed

Wong, who used to write for the Chinese dailies, Nanyang Siang Pau and Sin Chew Jit Poh , however, questioned what is considered 'sensitive'.

According to him, what is 'sensitive' should be determined by the media practitioners themselves and the public, not politicians.

"Politicians should not be the ones to tell the public what is sensitive or not because they have self-interests and are not angels," he added.

However, National Union of Journalist president Norila Mohd Daud agreed with Abdullah's assertion that the government does not impose restrictions on the press.

"It's the media owners who determine the content of their publications within the limits of the Printing Presses and Publications Act," she said when contacted.

She explained that since media owners have to apply for their licences every year, they were obliged to follow the guidelines laid out.

On the need for journalists to exercise extra caution in their reporting of "sensitive issues", Norila said that all Malaysians are not allowed to harp on issues such as religion or race which are deemed sensitive.