At the height of his rule, he appeared on the front-pages of every newspaper in this country almost on a daily basis. But this has changed.

Now, former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad is crying foul that editors are canning his comments.

According to an activist, this is an important lesson for Mahathir's successor in conjunction with World Press Freedom Day today.

Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall Youth assistant secretary Ng Chong Soon ( photo, left ) said Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi should uphold press freedom in order to avoid a similar fate when he retires.

"Even Mahathir has tasted of what it is like to be deprived of his right to expression. So Pak Lah (Abdullah) should promote freedom of expression during his tenure.

"Don't regret only after you have stepped down," he told reporters when met in Putrajaya.

Ng was part of a delegation from a civil society coalition calling itself Action against Political Interference in Media (API-Media) which handed a memorandum to the Internal Security Ministry.

The memorandum called on Abdullah, who is also internal security minister, to abolish the printing permit requirement for publications and unshackle the media.

More than 15 representatives from various organisations including Suaram, Writers Alliance for Media Independence (Wami), Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ), Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall Youth (SCAHY), Malaysia Youth and Student Democratic Movement (Dema) and opposition parties were present.

The memorandum was received by Alex Teh - the private secretary of Deputy Internal Security Minister Foo Ah Kiow - from coalition representatives Ng, Yap Swee Seng (Suaram) and Yip Wai Fong (CIJ).

They were told that both Abdullah and his deputy were not available.

Five demands

The memorandum - endorsed by 37 organisations and 92 journalists, social activists and society leaders - outlined five demands:

  • Abolish the licencing provisions in the PPPA (Printing Presses and Publications Act)

  • Set up a parliamentary select committee/caucus on media freedom

  • No blackouts on important news

  • No blacklisting of writers

  • No delays in the renewal of printing permits

    • After handing the memorandum, those present unfurled a banner calling for press freedom and chanted 'Tak Nak KDN! Bebaskan Media' (No to printing permits, free the media)

    Also present were malaysiakini columnists Eow Bung Poo (Chinese edition) and Lee Ban Chen (Malay edition).

    Speaking to reporters, Lee said his column in Chinese newspaper Oriental Daily News was axed earlier this year upon 'orders from above'.

    " Oriental Daily 's printing permit has yet to be renewed so the daily is forced to accept the directive to drop my column because it is not in a position to defend the writers," he added.

    Eow claimed that he and five other staff had to be dropped as a condition for Oriental Daily News to obtain its publishing permit in 2003.

    According to him, four of his columns with other Chinese dailies were also canned previously.

    Meanwhile, Yap said the coalition was disappointed that Abdullah could not meet them although a letter seeking an appointment was sent last week.

    "We are here today to tell the truth but it seems like Pak Lah (Abdullah) has no intention to hear the truth," he added.

    Picnic at the ministry

    In a related development, the National Union of Journalists Malaysia (NUJ) called for greater press freedom to battle corruption and abuse of power in this country.

    "The public has the right to know the progress of any government programme as they (the leaders) are elected through the democratic process by the people to administer the country on their behalf," said its president Norila Mohd Daud in a statement.

    World Press Freedom Day also saw 10 Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) members - led by its information chief Tian Chua - staging a 'picnic' inside the ministry's lobby, complete with sandwiches and drinks.

    They wanted a clear answer on the application for a printing permit for the party's organ Suara Keadilan .

    They ended the 20-minute 'picnic' after being promised a meeting with the ministry's publication control unit Abdul Rahim Mohd Radzi on May 16.

    The party submitted its application for a permit last June but has yet to get a reply.