Bible issue a 'minefield' for mainstream dailies
Kuek Ser Kuang KengPublished: Mar 18, 2011 8:06 AM | Updated: Mar 18, 2011 10:04 AM
Reprimand letters sent to several local dailies by the Home Ministry on their coverage of the Malay language Bible impoundment has made them extra cautious in reporting the controversy, including spiking commentaries.
Reprimand letters sent to several local dailies by the Home Ministry on their coverage of the Malay language Bible impoundment has made them extra cautious in reporting the controversy, including spiking commentaries.
Malaysiakini has learnt that besides the English daily Star, which had reported that it received such a letter from the Home Ministry, several others dailies were also rapped for the same reason.
They had published a statement from National Evangelical Christian Fellowship (NECF) secretary-general Sam Ang on March 9, claiming that the government had confiscated and detained 5,000 copies of the Bible in the Malay language despite the cabinet approving their release last year.
The news provoked the Home Ministry into sending them the letters, which also claimed that the reports were inaccurate, demanding that they adhere to the ministry's instructions as stipulated by the Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984 (PPPA).
The correction was made the next day (March 10) by publishing a ministry statement that the government had not made any decision to release the copies of the Bible.
The statement denied that the Bible had been confiscated, only refused entry for not fulfilling ministerial requirements.
It said the NECF statement was inaccurate and misleading.
At least one English daily and two Chinese dailies received the reprimand letters.
Some of them did not take further action but others, like Star, had sent a senior editor to meet ministry officials.
The ministry's publications control and quranic text division secretary Zaitun Ab Samad confirmed with Malaysiakini that the daily had apologised, admitting that there had been a mistake in the report.
"The issue has been solved. I don't want to prolong it," she said when contacted by Malaysiakini yesterday.
Zaitun declined to reveal how many dailies had received the letters.
"I can't say right now. I'm not going to tell you more."
Columnist's article spiked
Unlike a show cause letter, a reprimand letter does not require the daily to reply and it is not followed by stern actions such as a warning, or temporary or indefinite suspension.
However, several editors from the dailies that had received the letter said it sent fears into their editorial teams, especially when reporting on the Bible impoundment issue.
"You will become more conservative in reporting after you receive a reprimand letter. The safest way is to publish only statements from the ministers and top government leaders like the prime minister and deputy prime minister, " said an editor who requested anonymity.
PKR Pantai Jerejak assemblyperson Sim Tze Tzin (right) had become the first casualty of the press self-censorship.
He claimed that his column on the Bible issue in one local Chinese daily had been spiked.
"The Home Ministry has started to control freedom of expression. After Star was reprimanded by the ministry over its report on the Sarawak Bible issue, other local dailies also started to control public opinion on this issue.
"My article for a column in a Chinese daily was also 'returned'. The editor said the Malay language Bible issue cannot be published, please write on other issues," said Sim in a message posted on social networking website Facebook.
Sim then published the article on his blog.
The first-term assemblyperson runs two columns, one in the Sin Chew Daily and the other in the Oriental Daily. However, he refused to disclose which one 'returned' his work.
Meanwhile, another editor from a Chinese daily said he believed that the government is attempting to do damage control before the controversy impacts on the coming Sawarak state polls, where 43 percent of the state population is Christian.
"If the issue is left uncontrolled, it will definitely affect the bumiputra Christians' sentiment in Sarawak because they are the victims," he told Malaysiakini when contacted.
The state polls is speculated to be held in April and the Sarawak BN is facing an uphill battle in Chinese-majority areas where many are also Christians.
Malaysiakini has learnt that besides the English daily Star, which had reported that it received such a letter from the Home Ministry, several others dailies were also rapped for the same reason.
They had published a statement from National Evangelical Christian Fellowship (NECF) secretary-general Sam Ang on March 9, claiming that the government had confiscated and detained 5,000 copies of the Bible in the Malay language despite the cabinet approving their release last year.
The news provoked the Home Ministry into sending them the letters, which also claimed that the reports were inaccurate, demanding that they adhere to the ministry's instructions as stipulated by the Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984 (PPPA).
The correction was made the next day (March 10) by publishing a ministry statement that the government had not made any decision to release the copies of the Bible.
The statement denied that the Bible had been confiscated, only refused entry for not fulfilling ministerial requirements.It said the NECF statement was inaccurate and misleading.
At least one English daily and two Chinese dailies received the reprimand letters.
Some of them did not take further action but others, like Star, had sent a senior editor to meet ministry officials.
The ministry's publications control and quranic text division secretary Zaitun Ab Samad confirmed with Malaysiakini that the daily had apologised, admitting that there had been a mistake in the report.
"The issue has been solved. I don't want to prolong it," she said when contacted by Malaysiakini yesterday.
Zaitun declined to reveal how many dailies had received the letters.
"I can't say right now. I'm not going to tell you more."
Columnist's article spiked
Unlike a show cause letter, a reprimand letter does not require the daily to reply and it is not followed by stern actions such as a warning, or temporary or indefinite suspension.
However, several editors from the dailies that had received the letter said it sent fears into their editorial teams, especially when reporting on the Bible impoundment issue.
"You will become more conservative in reporting after you receive a reprimand letter. The safest way is to publish only statements from the ministers and top government leaders like the prime minister and deputy prime minister, " said an editor who requested anonymity.
PKR Pantai Jerejak assemblyperson Sim Tze Tzin (right) had become the first casualty of the press self-censorship.He claimed that his column on the Bible issue in one local Chinese daily had been spiked.
"The Home Ministry has started to control freedom of expression. After Star was reprimanded by the ministry over its report on the Sarawak Bible issue, other local dailies also started to control public opinion on this issue.
"My article for a column in a Chinese daily was also 'returned'. The editor said the Malay language Bible issue cannot be published, please write on other issues," said Sim in a message posted on social networking website Facebook.
Sim then published the article on his blog.
The first-term assemblyperson runs two columns, one in the Sin Chew Daily and the other in the Oriental Daily. However, he refused to disclose which one 'returned' his work.
Meanwhile, another editor from a Chinese daily said he believed that the government is attempting to do damage control before the controversy impacts on the coming Sawarak state polls, where 43 percent of the state population is Christian.
"If the issue is left uncontrolled, it will definitely affect the bumiputra Christians' sentiment in Sarawak because they are the victims," he told Malaysiakini when contacted.
The state polls is speculated to be held in April and the Sarawak BN is facing an uphill battle in Chinese-majority areas where many are also Christians.
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