Malaysia - interview

Watch out for media clampdown, banned Malaysian editor warns

Article published on the 2009-03-24 Latest update 2009-03-25 08:46 TU

Malaysia's incoming Prime Minister Najib Razak delivers his keynote address at the Umno assembly
(Photo: Reuters)

The editor-in-chief of a Malaysian news website banned from the ruling party's conference says that further media clampdowns could follow under the country’s new leader. Five websites were told they could not attend the five-day assembly, where Prime Minister-designate Najib Razak called for change.

Steve Gan, editor of Malaysiakini, says that the site “met all the requirements for the application but they have rejected that".

"We are not the only ones to have been denied a press pass to cover the assembly," he told RFI. "I feel really disappointed because only last year the government recognised Malaysiakini as a media organisation.”

Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak is set to take over from Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi at the end of the conference of the United Malays National Organisation (Umno).

The party has been in power in Malaysia for around half a century. But it performed poorly in elections last year.

Najib called for change in order to win back lost support in his address to the conference.

"Clearly, the results of that general election have been the worst in the history of our party," he said

But yesterday two opposition newspapers were banned from publishing for three months and website editor Gan worries this could mean further trouble for the country’s media.

“There is fear this could signal to a possible clampdown, especially when there will be a new Prime Minister taking over," he says.

It may be part of a general clampdown on media, claims Gan.

"The next few months will be crucial in many ways because of the fact that we’re going to face three crucial by-elections next month and there will be a number of key political events.

"I think this could be interpreted as a way to muzzle the opposition.”