DAP supremo Lim Kit Siang today pressured Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak to explain whether he had directed or approved new restrictions on four private TV stations in their reports of the Altantuya Shaariibuu case.

In his blog posted this afternoon, the Ipoh Timur legislator described the ban as contrary to Najib’s “new way forward for the new media” - a subject he addressed at the Malaysian Journalism Awards ceremony three days after he was sworn in as the premier.

parliament pandikar amin anwar ibrahim lim kit siang dap pkr pc 121108 04 “Is sweeping under the carpet swirling questions about the actual circumstances of the C4 murder of Altantuya a contribution to a ‘new national discourse on the principles of transparency and accountability’?” asked Lim.

According to Lim, the prime minister should realise that the TV ban is “the most obtuse way to deal with the swirling questions about the actual circumstances of the murder case including his involvement in it, if any”.

“These questions will not go away just by an official ban of the term or censorship in the mainstream media,” he added.

Earlier, Malaysiakini reported that four private television stations have been ordered not to name political analyst Abdul Razak Baginda, who was Najib’s close confidant, when reporting on the grisly murder case.

The television stations were also ordered not to show visuals of Razak Baginda in previous trials and after his release.

It is learnt that the top management of Media Prima Bhd - the owner of the four TV stations - had issued a directive on the matter last week.

'Establish a royal commission'

The media giant, which is believed to be linked to ruling party Umno, controls the country’s four free-to-air private TV stations - TV3, ntv7, 8TV and tv9.

The directive was part of an e-mail sent on behalf of the group’s director of news and current affairs, television networks, Kamarulzaman Zainal.

najib rosmah and altantuya murder case The TV stations were also barred from mentioning that Najib and his wife, Rosmah Mansor, were linked to the case.

In addition, statements from those accusing Najib and Rosmah of being involved in the case were prohibited.

Lim expressed his concern over the ban, saying the country could be moving towards a country where the term “Altantuya Shaariibuu” is to be banned from the public domain.

Even during the Bukit Gantang and Bukit Selambau by-elections recently, said Lim, the name of the murdered Mongolian was banned by the police at the ceramah.

“What was the justification, and even more pertinent, wasn’t such a ban short-sighted and counter-productive?” asked Lim.

Even though Najib had proclaimed that he is innocent of any wrongdoing in the murder case, he should not delay any further and “move boldly to establish a royal commission of inquiry”, said Lim.

“(This is) so that all the swirling allegations about the actual circumstances of the C4 murder of Altantuya could be fully investigated and the baseless ones dispelled once and for all,” he said.