Archive - 21 January 2003

Police say the raid on the online daily's office yesterday was not meant to close down its operations.

Malaysiakini editor-in-chief Steven Gan was grilled by the police for three hours today. Amid expectations of further action, he is confident the country's first online daily will continue operating despite the odds.

International and regional media groups have expressed outrage with the attempt to harass malaysiakini , saying this is an affront to press freedom. They see the move as pressing the lid firmly down on already-limited access to information in Malaysia.

The Human Rights Commision of Malaysia (Suhakam) speaks out against the police raid on Malaysiakini premises yesterday, while the Energy, Communications and Multimedia Ministry holds web sites accountable for content.

Malaysians are calling in by the dozens to ask if the police have the power to act as they did, in arriving unannounced and taking away computer equipment without a search warrant. This FAQ on the Sedition Act can provide the answers.

Tindakan polis menyerbu dan merampas peralatan komputer akhbar Internet malaysiakini semalam telah menghantar mesej kepada dunia yang Malaysia tidak toleran dengan pandangan yang pelbagai, kata presiden Angkatan Belia Islam Malaysia (Abim), Ahmad Azam Abdul Rahman.

Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad called on the first day of a visit in Beirut yesterday for closer economic links following talks with his Lebanese opposite number Rafiq Hariri.

press statement Malaysia's only independent online daily, malaysiakini , resumed publication 10 hours after the site was temporarily disabled due to a police operation yesterday. A report on the police investigation and a press statement were posted at about 10.30pm.

Supporters of malaysiakini staged a candlelight vigil outside its office in Bangsar Utama, Kuala Lumpur yesterday evening to protest police action in seizing computers from the organisation and causing its temporary closure.