A "cult of secrecy" is growing in Malaysia amid indications of a deterioration in press freedom under Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, the parliamentary opposition leader said yesterday.

Hopes had once been high that Abdullah, who took over from the authoritarian Mahathir Mohamad 18 months ago, would ease controls on the press, said DAP leader Lim Kit Siang.

But there had been no marked improvement, "with even indications of a deterioration of press freedom" during Abdullah's premiership, Lim said in a statement.

He pointed out that Reporters Sans Frontieres (Reporters Without Borders), a Paris-based media rights group, had last year ranked Malaysia 122 out of 167 countries in its press freedom index - a fall of 18 places from the previous year.

Lim announced plans to call a conference of all members of parliament, political parties, journalists and non-governmental organisations next month to campaign for a Freedom of Information Act.

Death in DOE

Abdullah's "promises of an open, clean and accountable government will come to nought if the people's right to information is not recognised or entrenched by law," he said.

"Unfortunately there seem to be more and more instances of decreasing government respect for the right to information in Malaysia, with the cult of secrecy triumphing over the culture of openness and accountability."

As an example, Lim said some Department of Environment personnel were being required to renew their oaths under the Official Secrets Act after recent newspaper reports on the inability of the department to enforce environmental laws effectively.

The reports included "the scandal of the death of Sarawak Department of Environment officer Rumie Azzan Mahile, whose wife and family believed he was killed because of his diligent and conscientious investigation into a toxic wastes scandal".

Lim expressed doubt over the police report which found no foul play in Rumie's death.