A special edition of Pas-owned newspaper Harakah today hit the streets, its first following the recently renewed permit's conditions, which restricted its publication frequency to two issues a month from the previous eight.

Still priced at RM1.30, the 40-paged issue, dated Mar 1-15, carried an introduction to what future issues the tabloid's new format would take.

The "new" Harakah, which will make its debut in the newsstands on March 17, will be published on the second and fourth Fridays of each month. To be priced at RM2.50 per copy, it will have 72 pages, divided into two sections.

The first section, consisting of 32 pages, will incorporate the main news and the English Section.

The other 40-page section, to be known as Fikrah Harakah, will have news analyses, features, columns, cartoons, education, economics, international, health and other topics.

The expanded tabloid will feature eight full-coloured pages, compared to four previously.

The special edition today front-paged calls by various international organisations on the Malaysian government to "stop punishing Harakah", led by Committee to Protect Journalists based in New York.

The US body had sent a letter last Thursday to prime minister Mahathir Mohamad urging him to restore Harakah's publication frequency to twice a week instead of twice a month, and also to withdraw the sedition charges preferred against its editor and printer.

Meanwhile, AFP reported today that PAS may take the government to court over severe curbs on its newspaper, which it termed a "black mark" for democracy. The government licences all newspapers under the 1984 Printing Presses and Publications Act.

PAS president Fadzil Noor sought an urgent debate in Parliament on the curbs, which he described as "an action against fundamental human rights, freedom of expression and a black mark to the practice of democracy in Malaysia."

He said the restrictions violated the United Nations human rights charter and reflected an "assault on human rights." But the Speaker rejected a debate, saying the matter was not urgent.

Fadzil told a press conference later the party would consider whether to take legal action against the ministry on the grounds that its action infringed constitutional rights.

"With regard to the legal action, PAS will try to take it as soon as possible..." he told AFP.

Fadzil also said PAS leaders would hold public gatherings nationwide to "explain the government's unreasonable action."