The Home Ministry clarified today that it has nothing to do with the decision of newly launched Chinese-language Oriental Daily News to suspend its opinion page.

The ministry's publication control unit (Chinese section) chief Tan You Huat told malaysiakini that there was no instruction from the ministry to the newspaper to remove their opinion page, contrary to claims by certain quarters.

"We did not send out any (removal) directive to the paper. They are allowed to continue with any (opinion) columns as long as they comply with the ministry's requirements," he said when contacted.

Tan also said he was puzzled as to why the opinion page was removed.

"For me, Oriental Daily is ... so far so good".

Tan said his unit would not interfere in Oriental Daily's editorial policy or their opinion page as long as they follow the requirements stipulated in the Printing Presses and Publications Act.

Under the Act, a newspaper should not publish any material which is prejudicial or likely to be prejudicial to public order, morality, security, public interest or the national interest.

An adjustment

Since the daily's opinion page was removed last Tuesday, several of its columnists have pointed their finger at the ministry saying that it was their pressure which prompted the daily to make the change.

However, Oriental Daily editor-in-chief Puah You Lai said last week that the change was due to an "adjustment".

The daily's opinion page contained five columns, o­ne editorial and a cartoon.

Its columnists were mostly writers who had boycotted major Chinese dailies following MCA's acquisition of Nanyang Press Holdings in 2001.

Some observers have also speculated that the change undertaken by the daily could possibly be due to the presence of the columnists who are known critics of government policies.

"It is too much a risk for Oriental Daily to publish critical views as it is still under a three-month observation period," o­ne claimed.

But Tan dismissed the notion saying that there is no such ruling. A paper o­nly has to renew its permit annually, he said.

Popular section

Meanwhile, a source from the daily said they are considering to resume the opinion page soon.

"It is a popular section. Many readers had called because they miss the page. We are also aware of the importance of providing a discussion and debate forum for our readers", he said.

Oriental Daily was first launched o­n Sept 29 last year but its operations were suspended by the ministry the same day.

No reason was given for the suspension but after nearly three months of negotiations, the paper hit the streets again o­n Jan 1.

Soon then, Oriental Daily has engaged in a war of words with its rivals, claiming that newspaper vendors were warned not to deliver the newly launched daily.

Oriental Daily is owned by Sarawakian timber tycoon Lau Hui Kang, who also controls three Sarawak-based dailies - See Hua Daily, Utusan Borneo and Borneo Post .