The government has given the mass media here 'wide freedom' and it does not aim to curb this, said Information Minister Abdul Kadir Sheik Fadzir today.

"The government is definitely giving the widest freedom to private media organisations, in fact the mass media as a whole... we don't wish to curb them," he was quoted as saying in a Bernama report.

However, he said media organisations should not abuse this freedom and must be aware of their limitations such as publishing reports that could threaten racial unity.

"This is because Malaysia is a multiracial country, with varied sentiments and sensitivities... if we are not careful, it is bound to undermine the (existing) bonds of unity," he added.

The minister also called for better cooperation from private media organisations to ensure that government policies are successfully implemented.

He said that this role should not only be left to the government media agencies.

Abdul Kadir said he was also studying the relevant laws and regulations to establish stronger ties between the mass media and the government.

Media warned

Last month, the minister warned media organisations that the government could revoke their permits should they report on issues that jeopardise racial unity.

He said the media should not focus on monetary gains at the expense of racial harmony and publish stories that could pose a threat to national security.

"To boost sales, newspapers sometimes like to play up issues than can inflame racial sentiments. This is very dangerous for a multi-racial country like ours. Actually, there are many other ways for the media to make profits.

"We issue permits and give freedom to the media, be it owned by an individual or a company, to make money because we encourage them to venture into the industry but we can also revoke their permit," he had said.

Critics have taken the government to task over its control on the media via permits that have to be reviewed annually and a myriad of restrictive laws such as the Printing Presses and Publications Act, Official Secrets Act and Sedition Act.

However, government officials have argued that the check is necessary to ensure stability and harmony in a multiracial and multi-religious society.