The banning of the independent magazine Detik by the Home Ministry is an unacceptable assault on press freedom, said a Southeast Asian journalists coalition today.

"We are deeply concerned with the decision of the Home Ministry to not renew the publishing licence of Detik , thus effectively banning the publication and sending a chilling message of repression to the entire journalism profession," said Kavi Chongkittavorn, chairman of the Bangkok-based Southeast Asian Press Alliance.

In a letter addressed to Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad yesterday, Chongkittavorn had called on the Malaysian government to lift the ban on Detik , and to allow newspapers and magazines with independent viewpoints to flourish in Malaysia.

"We have seen a dramatic increase in the openness of the press in this region in recent years and regret that the Malaysian government has so far stood in the way of allowing its people to enjoy the benefits of press freedom," lamented Chongkittavorn, who is also executive editor of Bangkok's The Nation.

"As an organisation of the Southeast Asian journalists dedicated to promoting free expression in the region, Seapa sees Malaysia's strict licensing and control of the press as an affront to civil liberties which sends the clear signal that the government cannot tolerate free and open public debate," he added.

Malaysiakini had reported on Saturday that Detik's editor Ahmad Lutfi Othman had been informed by the Home Ministry that the bimonthly magazine's publication permit, which expired last December, would not be renewed.

Meanwhile, human rights NGO Aliran described the Home Ministry's refusal to grant a fresh licence to Detik as "an absolute abuse of authority".

"It reflects an arrogance of power that does not respect the democratic rights of citizens," said Aliran president P. Ramakrishnan.

He said it was distressing to learn that the National Union of Journalists had refused to comment on the issue. Malaysiakini had reported on Monday that NUJ president Norila Md. Daud declined to comment on the banning of Detik .

"One would have thought that they would have been in the forefront to challenge and condemn this abuse in upholding the freedom of press," said Ramakrishnan.

"Only recently, opposition tabloid Harakah had its frequency slashed by 75 percent from twice a week to every fortnight. Now, another brave magazine, Detik, has been killed. Who will be next?"