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The Heat Weekly is suspended but the heat is on from other quarters!
Is Dr Mahathir one of those putting pressure…?
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THIS IS SEEN TO BE THE REASON FOR THE SUSPENSION:
THIS IS THE REASON GIVEN BY THE GOVERNMENT:
“The Heat’s publication permit states that the outlet is required to inform the Home Ministry of any change of ownership. Furthermore, the permit provides for a weekly business magazine. However, these provisions were violated,” the Ministry said in a statement.
THIS IS THE REACTION:
The suspension had shocked the nation, prompting concern that Malaysia, like North Korea, had entered into a new ‘Reign of Terror’, where Prime Minister Najib Razak and wife Rosmah Mansor were omnipotent.
Those who displeased the top duo would be given short shrift and shown the door, just like The Heat, critics warned.
Indeed, this is the view of many Malaysians despite the Home Ministry’s clarification.
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Malaysiakini
Of late, veteran newsman Kadir A Jasin has been turning up the heat on Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak.
In his latest blog posting, he takes the government to task for slapping The Heat newsweekly with a suspension order.
But more interestingly, Kadir also mentions the speculation of certain ancient and powerful forces working with him to undermine the prime minister.
“… People I met along the byway, had eluded to the complicity of senior Umno politicians like Dr Mahathir Mohamad, Daim Zainuddin and Sanusi Junid in our debate on the government lately.
“I should be honoured if that’s the case. Unfortunately, it was not,” he said.
The former New Straits Times group editor-in-chief also questioned the need for Mahathir to use his blog when the former premier has an even bigger blog to his name.
“And Daim? Why should he want to get his hand dirty here when he is known to have written nasty letters directly to past and present prime ministers?
“Those accusing this blog of being the mouthpiece of Daim should ask the prime minister how many letters of advice he has received from Daim.
“I believe people like Mahathir, Daim and Sanusi have said much or more directly to the prime minister than we dare say in this blog,” he added.
Kadir denies Dr M and Co behind anti-Najib postings
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Free Malaysia Today
The Heat might comeback with a vengeance
A veteran journalist says in fact the suspension of The Heat would be a blessing in disguise for the newly launched newspaper.
PETALING JAYA: The government’s move to ban The Heat, a English weekly, is not the answer and the newspaper can make a comeback with a vengeance, veteran journalist Kadir Jasin warned.
He said although suspending newspapers and other forms of publication is not new in Malaysia, not every newspaper banned or suspended in the past disappeared.
“Some made a comeback with a vengeance. They might not come back as a crusader or an irritation that they formally were. But a few like The Star and Sin Chew Daily went on to become a huge commercial success.
“The two papers had their publishing permits suspended in the aftermath of the Operasi Lalang in1987. But the smaller and financially weak Malay weekly, Watan that was also suspended went out publication. Attempts to revive it failed.
“Today, The Star is the largest paid English newspaper and the Sin Chew is the largest Chinese language newspaper. They are beaten only by the sensational Malay tabloids, Harian Metro and Kosmo,” he said in his blog posting Saturday.
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Malaysia Chronicle
Saturday, 21 December 2013 17:34
Ministry’s The Heat explanation panned: Najib, ROSMAH told to stop playing LORD & LADY games
Written by Maria Begum, Malaysia Chronicle
Malaysiakini
The suspension of news weekly The Heat by the Home Ministry is a move of “personal vengeance” by Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak, says PKR vice-president and MP for Padang Serai N Surendran.
The suspension proved Najib to be a “tyrant unfit to govern a democratic nation”, Surendran said in a strongly worded statement issued today.
“The suspension is undemocratic, arbitrary and an intolerable assault upon the freedom of the press. It is calculated to keep the media fearful, subservient and emasculated,” he said.
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Surendran questioned whether criticising the prime minister and his wife was akin to threatening national security, public order or morality.
“The suspension is in clear breach of Article 10 of the federal constitution which protects freedom of speech , including freedom of the press. The rights under Article 10 can only be curtailed on grounds of national security, public order or morality,” he said.
Proven: Changes to publications law merely cosmetic
“It is clear that the suspension is a personal act of retribution and punishment by Najib and Rosmah against The Heat for daring to criticise them,” he added.
Suurendran went on to compare Najib and Rosmah with the infamous Filipino dictator Ferdinand Marcos and his wife, Imelda Marcos.
“It is impossible for the suspension to have been ordered without Najib’s approval and connivance,” he said.
Suspension of The Heat ‘Najib’s act of vengeance’
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Malaysiakini
Media groups have lambasted the Home Ministry’s move to suspend new kid on the block, The Heat weekly, with the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) labelling the move as “unwise” and an impediment to freedom of the media.
NUJ president Chin Sung Chew (left) said such a thing should never have happened as the media is merely trying to carry out its duty.
“The media plays a role in monitoring wrongdoings by the ruling government.
“We provide the public access to such information because they have a right to know and such information is of public interest,” Chin said in a text reply to questions from Malaysiakini.
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Earlier today, the Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ) described the suspension of The Heat as proof that the administration led by Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak was not serious about reforms to freedom of expression.
“The Heat is a new weekly. It’s still trying to make its mark. In that sense, the suspension won’t have an immediate impact on the public. People won’t feel it,” its executive director Masjalizah Hamzah said.
“But people who advocate for media freedom and the journalists will feel it. If it can happen to The Heat, it can happen to others, except perhaps Utusan Malaysia.”
Journalists’ groups slam suspension of The Heat
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Malaysian Insider
Weekly The Heat suspended indefinitely by Home Ministry
The issue of ‘The Heat’ news weekly which is believed to have got its publishers into trouble with the Home Ministry. – December 19, 2013.
News weekly The Heat has been suspended “indefinitely” by the Home Ministry, believed to be over a front-page article on Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and his wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor’s expenditure, sources close to the publication said.
Senior editor-in-chief at HCK Media Chong Cheng Hai, however, declined to comment when contacted.
It is learnt that the weekly’s reporters were informed about the suspension during an editorial meeting today.
When asked about the suspension, Deputy Home Minister Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said he was not aware of it.
The weekly, which focuses on politics and socio-economic issues, had been issued a show-cause letter last week. Editor-in-chief David Lee Boon Siew had also been summoned to the Home Ministry in Putrajaya and told to tone down its reports.
The Malaysian Insider understands that although the show-cause letter did not specify the offending article, it was over a report entitled “All eyes on big-spending PM Najib” published in its November 23 to 29 issue.
It is believed that HCK Media, the publisher, had been given 14 days to reply to the show-cause letter.
Weekly The Heat suspended indefinitely by Home Ministry
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weehingthong 