A group of journalists, media practitioners and activists braved the rain today to demand the Home Ministry withdraw its suspension of news weekly The Heat .

Dubbed the 'Red Pencil Protest', some 200 protesters clad in red assembled at Market Square adjacent to Jalan Leboh Pasar in Kuala Lumpur ar 2pm under unforgiving weather.

The protest was organised by Gerakan Media Marah (Geramm), a loose coalition of journalists in response to The Heat's suspension following reports critical of Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's spending habits.

The Home Minister denied that the said report was the reason for suspension, instead blaming it vaguely on the news weekly failing to abide by its publishing permit.

Geramm had rubbished the explanation , pointing out the same reason had been used to silence other publications in the past.

During the protest, participants snapped red pencils as a symbolic gesture of media freedom being under attack.

"The red pencil represents journalists who were injured (in the past, by the authorities) and a culture of control by the powers that be.

"Listen to the breaking sound. That is the suffering of journalists and the media when it is 'broken', as how they were treated violently during the Bersih rally in 2012,” said Geramm spokesperson Fathi Aris Omar ( above, with microphone ), who is also Malaysiakini chief editor.

During Bersih 2.0 protest in 2012, at least 11 media personnel were assaulted by police and one was beaten up by unidentified individuals at the rally. The responsible parties were never apprehended till today.

Impromtu march

Also present to show support the protest were former Bersih chairperson Ambiga Sreenevasan and Marina Mahathir, daughter of former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad.

"This red pencil campaign is important because we should be drawing red on publishing licensing.

"The whole idea of licensing is against the freedom of expression, it is against the freedom of the press," said Ambiga when addressing the crowd.

She was referring to the Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984 (PPPA), the law which was used to suspend The Heat and has been used to ensure publications toe the government's line.

Also at the protest were politicians such as Gelang Patah MP Lim Kit Siang, Petaling Jaya Utara MP Tony Pua, Batu MP Tian Chua and Selangor deputy assembly speaker Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad.

The crowd later marched to Jalan Tun Perak, the site where former The Sun journalist Radzi Razak was beaten up by police during the Bersih 3.0 protest.

"Today we remember the moment where journalists stand united. We are united in standing against those who try to prevent us from doing our duty," said Radzi, who is now a Malaysiakini journalist.

The protester organiser also read out their eight demands, which are as follow:

To the government:

1) Withdraw the suspension of news weekly The Heat

2) Investigate thoroughly the incidences of violence against the media during the Bersih 3.0 protest in 2012

3) Abolish printing permits made mandatory under the PPPA

4) Do not ban media practitioners from covering government events and allow access to public buildings for news-gathering purposes

5) Apologise to media practitioners for breach of media freedom and rights

To political parties:

6) Give full access to all media practitioners, without bias, to attend any activities or press conferences

To journalists:

7) Practice good journalism ethics and give balanced and fair reporting

8) Uphold the spirit of freedom, fairness and human rights

At a press conference later, Fathi said Geramm will be handing a petition which include the eights demands as well as the broken red pencils to the Home Ministry soon.