Internet media companies must have a publication permit issued by the Home Ministry before they can obtain the press accreditation cards, Information Ministry's Press and Public Relations Division deputy director Razali Aziz told malaysiakini today.

He was responding to the rejection of malaysiakini's application for the official press cards.

The press accreditation cards issued by the Information Department are required for journalists and photographers to cover government functions, ministers' press conferences and be admitted into government buildings.

Razali added that this was not a new regulation as all mass media, including Internet newspapers, must have the Home Ministry's publication permit before they can be given the press cards.

This morning, malaysiakini received a letter from Resat Salleh, the division's director, on behalf of the Director-General of Information, stating that the Internet news website's application for the official press cards was rejected.

The reason stated in the letter is that "Malaysiakini.com is not a newspaper possessing a publication permit issued by Home Ministry".

"The (Malaysiakini.com) name is not in the Home Ministry's list, hence it cannot obtain (the press cards)," Razali said in a telephone interview.

However, he added that he was not sure which Act applied to Internet newspapers.

Malaysiakini editor Steven Gan said the website's application was a test of the government's sincerity in living up to its pledge of pursuing a policy of "no censorship of the Internet".

"The reason given for not approving the application is absurd since most Internet news websites do not have publication permits. We hope that this is not Net censorship on the sly."

Gan added that malaysiakini will pursue the matter with higher authorities.