His Excellency Dato’ Seri Dr. Mahatir Mohamad
Prime Minister
Prime Minister’s Department
Jalan Dato’ Onn
Kuala Lumpur
MALAYSIA

Vienna, 31 March 2000

Your Excellency,

The International Press Institute (IPI), the global network of editors and media executives, strongly condemns the Malaysian government’s decision not to renew the publishing license of the bi-monthly Detik, effectively banning the independent magazine.

IPI is informed that the Ministry of Home Affairs, which oversees publication permits in Malaysia, officially notified Detik on March 25 that its license would not be renewed. On December 22, 1999, the Home Ministry had announced that it was necessary “to investigate thoroughly” the case of the magazine, which allegedly broke the terms of its licence by failing to inform the Ministry of the appointment of its new chief editor. Detik was forced to suspend publication and reportedly suffered heavy financial losses while awaiting a decision on its application for renewal. Under the Printing Presses and Publications Act of 1984, all publications are required to renew their publishing licenses annually.

The effective banning of Detik follows the government’s decision on March 1 to restrict the circulation of Harakah – which is published by the Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS) – from twice weekly to two issues a month.

IPI believes that the use of the Printing Presses and Publications Act to intimidate the critical voice of Malaysia’s few independent or pro-opposition publications, which serve as a source of alternative news, is a clear violation of the right to freedom of opinion and expression, as guaranteed by Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. We therefore strongly urge Your Excellency to lift the ban on Detik and to ensure that all media are permitted to publish freely in Malaysia.

We thank you for your attention.

Yours sincerely,

Johann P. Fritz
Director