A publishing house belonging to editor Ahmad Lutfi Othman was charged in the Magistrate's Court today with printing and publishing a tabloid newspaper, Haraki , without a permit from the Home Affairs Ministry.

Penerbitan Pemuda was represented by marketing manager Zabidi Morad who claimed trial to the offence.

Magistrate Hazizah Kassim fixed Jan 21 for the hearing.

Penerbitan Pemuda was charged under section 5(1)(a) of the 1984 Printing Presses and Publications Act which states it is an offence for anyone to print, sell, circulate and distribute any newspaper without a permit

The charge carries a sentence of not more than three years in jail or a maximum fine of RM20,000 or both.

Penerbitan Pemuda is alleged to have committed the offence at 1.10pm on May 9 last year. Counsel Hanipa Maidin appeared for Penerbitan Pemuda.

Speaking to malaysiakini later, Lutfi said Haraki was the first publication and since then another 10 different magazines had been published and sold to the public.

The Home Affairs Ministry had earlier banned Lutfi's bi-monthly publication Detik and his monthly Wasilah .

Lutfi said that several officials from the Home Affairs Ministry had come to the publishing house on May 9 this year and took away 545 copies of Haraki .