[#1]Reporters Sans Frontieres (RSF)[/#], an international organisation that defends press freedom throughout the world, sent a letter yesterday to Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Home Affairs Abdullah Badawi, urging him to ensure that the publication licences of a number of local newspapers and magazines "are not withdrawn".

The Paris-based journalists organisation was responding to the crisis involving the publishing permits of five publications, Harakah, Detik, Wasilah, Tamadun and Eksklusif.

PAS tabloid Harakah had received a show-cause letter from the Home Ministry asking the reason why its permit should not be withdrawn. Meanwhile, the publishing permit of Detik, a pro-Opposition bi-monthly magazine, had not been renewed since it expired last month.

Wasilah, a newly launched sister publication of Detik which targets the youth, had received a warning letter. Also warned were another pro-Opposition monthly magazine Tamadun and weekly tabloid Eksklusif.

RSF condemned the government's threats to withdraw the publishing permits, which could lead to the closure of the five newspapers and magazines.

"Any pressure on the private media and the closure of one of those newspapers would constitute a grave violation of press freedom," said Vincent Brossel, international secretary of RSF Asia-Pacific desk.

RSF also called on Abdullah to "liberalise the press laws, for example the Printing Presses and Publications Act, which requires newspapers to renew their publishing licences annually."

Meanwhile, National Union of Journalists general secretary Hong Boon How told malaysiakini that his organisation had yet to take any action on the harassment of the five publications.

According to him, Harakah journalists are not members of NUJ, therefore it was premature for the union to make a statement on the issue. "It is not fair for us to comment as they are not members of NUJ," said Hong. NUJ has more than 1,500 members, mainly journalists from the print media industry.

Asked on the initiatives of NUJ to resolve the issue faced by the five publications, he said that if NUJ was asked by the contending parties, the union would consider to assist in resolving the crisis.

On whether NUJ had made any follow-up to the memorandum calling press freedom by over 500 journalists which was presented to Abdullah last May, Hong said the initiative was launched by journalists without the union's involvement.

He said that NUJ did not want to be seen to hijack the initiative. "If they ask for assistance, NUJ will try to help," said Hong.