The Home Ministry has denied issuing a directive to the local media to stop them from reporting on Isa Samad's suspension from Umno after he was found guilty of buying votes during the party polls in 2004.

The ministry's secretary-general Mahmood Adam said this in response to a Malaysiakini story on Tuesday.

"We would like to stress that no such directive was issued by the ministry.

"We hope Malaysiakini will be more responsible as such reports can only confuse the public," he said in a statement late yesterday.

On Tuesday, a source in a Chinese daily told Malaysiakini that the directive prevented any mention of Isa's suspension in either news reports or commentaries.

"The reason given was that the suspension is a widely known old fact and that Isa has already been punished. As such, it would be best to let the voters to decide for themselves," said the source.

"BN is also worried that the issue could become another blow to its campaign, given the internal problems between Isa and current Menteri Besar Mohamad Hassan."

It was also understood that the head office of one Chinese daily had ordered its Negri Sembilan bureau office not to raise the issue.

Likewise PKR Pantai Jerejak assemblyperson Sim Tze Tzim had also revealed that China Press had rejected his commentary on the ground that "no article on the by-election is allowed".

Malaysiakini was unable to verify the claim with the ministry on that day.

Isa is contesting the Bagan Pinang by-election in Negri Sembilan as the Barisan Nasional candidate. He will face of Zulkefly Mohd Omar of PAS in a straight fight on Sunday.