Regional media group Southeast Asian Press Alliance (Seapa) has condemned the government’s suspension of news weekly The Heat as unjustifiable and a form of political intimidation.

The organisation added that the government had consistently acted contrary to its promise of a freer press.

“Despite the prime minister’s pronouncements supporting media freedom, there has beenvery little concrete action towards this end, including the repeal of the repressive Printing Presses and Publications Act (PPPA).

“The Home Ministry has also consistently disproved this pronouncement, not only through this unjustified suspension of The Heat...,” it said in a statement yesterday.

Seapa added that this behaviour did not only concern The Heat but also political party newspapers which were seized as well as the denial of a printing permit to Malaysiakini.

On Dec 19, it was reported that the Home Ministry had suspended The Heat indefinitely.

No reason was stated for the suspension but it was believed to be over a November article about Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak and his wife Rosmah Mansor.

The article in question was a frontpage report titled ‘All eyes on big-spending PM Najib', questioning the spending traits of the prime minister and his wife.

“The suspension of The Heat - over an article concerning the legitimate public interest of state expenditures and an alleged abuse of political privilege - demonstrates the government policy to keep media under strict control is still very much in force,” said Seapa.