As the writer pointed out in Dont overlook the criminal charge , there are two, not one, allegations made by Perdana Sari against Puteri Umno chief Azalina Othman. The more serious one is that she misappropriated RM300,000 from the Puteri Umno funds to buy her friend a luxury car. This is certainly of genuine public interest because it has criminal implications.

I call on the Home Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to be accountable. He should immediately order the police to investigate and find out whether it is Azalina who has committed a crime, or Perdana Sari for publishing false news and allegations, which is also criminal. Abdullah cannot pretend not to know what is happening.

Another question for Abdullah is the criteria applied by the Home Ministry to issue publishing and printing permits. Why is a sensational tabloid like Perdana Sari given a permit while a responsible publication like malaysiakini is denied one? Is it a policy of the Barisan Nasional government to encourage people to read tabloids like Perdana Sari so that their minds would be enfeebled and enervated, politically and intellectually ?