Online news portal Malaysiakini will file for a judicial review to challenge a Home Ministry decision not to consider its application for a permit to publish a daily print version.
In saying this, CEO Premesh Chandran pointed out that the news portal has been around for 10 years and has a proven track record in professionalism and credibility.
“I don't see why we are not granted a permit,” he said in response to a letter from the Home Ministry dated Aug 19.
The ministry, which has sole jurisdiction over serial print publications, did not cite reasons for its decision.
“We applied for the permit in April. As not everyone has access to the Internet, a print version would expand our readership,” said Premesh.
Premesh said there had been no contact with the ministry except for a meeting with a senior member of the Publication and Quranic Texts Control Division two weeks ago.
The officer, who had also signed the letter, could not be reached for comment today.
This was Malaysiakini's second bid to obtain a publishing permit, following the first application in 2002.
After a long silence from the ministry, the matter was raised in a parliamentary question, eliciting the response that it was 'under consideration'.
We need to ask the Home Minister why he refuse to give Malaysiakini printing press license while stupid Utusan can still write all sorts of rubbish and still get away with it!!!
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