Hunger strike gaining media coverage after five-day blackout

comments     Yap Mun Ching     Published     Updated

State-controlled media blocked out news of the hunger strike by six Internal Security Act detainees at the Kamunting Detention Centre in Perak during the first five days because authorities had expected a quick end to the protest action, a spokeperson for the campaign said.

During the first five days, there was totally no news whatsoever except for Chinese language newspapers which published photographs of the hunger strike (campaigners), Raja Petra Raja Kamaruddin told malaysiakini today.

Raja Petra, a former ISA detainee, said publicity has revved up since the initial blackout in local newspapers and state-run television stations.

When asked why he thought there was a change in policy, he said, It is probably because they (the government) thought the hunger strike was going to end. They later saw that it did not and we were visited by several (officials from) government organisations who expressed their support.

Blackout criticised

Raja Petra was commenting on a report published yesterday by two Australian newspapers — Melbourne Age and Sydney Morning Herald — criticising the Malaysian government for maintaining a virtual blackout in state-controlled media on the hunger strike.

The papers also highlighted an error made by the national news agency which said that jailed former deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim had abandoned his hunger strike.

The government has not commented on the protests, which have been largely ignored by the media. The state-run Bernama news agency carried a small item yesterday reporting, wrongly, that (former deputy prime minister) Anwar Ibrahim had abandoned his hunger strike, said the report.

Anwar went on a hunger strike on Sunday, April 14, but switched to fasting from sunrise to sunset the following day on medical advice. Anwar is serving a 15-year jail sentence for corruption and sodomy.

The six ISA detainees — Tian Chua, Mohd Ezam Mohd Nor, Saari Sungib, Lokman Nor Adam, Dr Badrulamin Bahron and malaysiakini columnist-cum-filmmaker Hishamuddin Rais — started their hunger strike on April 10 to mark the first anniversary of their incarceration and to press for their demand to be released or charged in open court.

The six were arrested for allegedly plotting to overthrow the government by militant means which they have denied.

Supporters are staging a hunger strike in solidarity with the six ISA detainees at the PAS headquarters in Taman Melewar, Kuala Lumpur.

More coverage

The hunger strikes have since attracted more media coverage.

On Tuesday, the New Straits Times reported on Anwars decision to back his supporters in protesting against their detention. The news about at least two hunger strikers who collapsed at Taman Melewar appeared on NST s online website but not in its print version the following day.

Bernama ran a report on Wednesday on Malaysian Human Rights Commission or Suhakams plans to conduct an inquiry into the situation of the six detainees after learning of the hunger strike.

The Star reported on Wednesday that Anwar had called off his hunger strike in less than a day but started a Muslim fast due to poor health.

Anwars appeal for the six ISA detainees to stop their hunger strike as he feared for their deteriorating health was reported by the local press.

Berita Harian published its first report on Wednesday stating that the Prisons Department is mulling action against the six detainees for starting the hunger strike.

Utusan Malaysia published a short report today saying several ISA detainees have starting taking food, quoting Suhakam commissioners who visited the detention centre.

Family members and supporters of the ISA 6 have denied the report.



Malaysiakini
news and views that matter


Sign In