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Media Comment by Lim Kit Siang in Petaling
Jaya on Wednesday, 16th April 2008:
Tamil Makkalosai suspended for a week for too much coverage of Pakatan
Rakyat news – is this the first sign of repression and crackdown on
human rights and the little space opening in the media after the March 8
"political tsunami"?
Popular Tamil daily, Tamil Makkalosai, has been suspended for a week
by none other than the Home Minister, Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar
himself for giving too much coverage of Pakatan Rakyat news.
With immediate effect, Tamil Makkalosai will not appear in the streets
until next week, awaiting the fate of its appeal to the Home Minister.
Is this the first sign of repression and crackdown on human rights and
the little space opening up in the printed media after the March 8
"political tsunami"?
It is clear that the decision to stop the publication of Tamil
Makkalosai, which is still waiting for its KDN this year, has got the
"green-light" from the Cabinet.
Why did the Ministers, particularly from UMNO and other Barisan Nasional
component parties, particularly from the MIC, who have promised to end
their subsidiary and subservient role in Cabinet, agreed to such a
repressive measure as to immediately close down Tamil Makkalosai?
*
Lim
Kit Siang, MP for Ipoh Timor & DAP Central Policy and Strategic
Planning Commission Chairman
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