Legal action will be taken against any company which prints foreign newspapers in Malaysia, Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said. 
 
He said investigation papers on the issue would be submitted to the attorney-general's chambers for further action or prosecution. 
 
Ahmad Zahid said the ministry's publication control division had found negative elements in these newspapers which tarnished the image of the ruling government by making baseless allegations against the BN government in the countries concerned. 
 
"The government has never interfered in the political matters in the
countries concerned and will never conspire with any party challenging those countries," he added.
 
Ahmad Zahid said this in response to a recent media report which stated that foreign newspapers were being sold openly at business premises monopolised by foreigners in the country.

It was feared that the publication and distribution of such newspapers would pose a threat to (Malaysia’s) national security as the content of the newspapers were neither controlled nor monitored. 
 
"Initial investigation found that besides the return on sales of the newspapers, they also use advertisements allegedly from foreign-owned companies to finance the publication of the newspapers (in Malaysia)," he said. 
 
As of last week, he said a total of 3,500 copies of newspapers in Myanmar, Nepali and Bangladeshi languages were seized. 
 
Earlier, Ahmad Zahid attended a briefing on small development projects in Bagan Datoh, Perak, today. 
 
The small projects, which cost RM3 million and are managed by the Perak State Development Cooperation, involved the construction of five rural shoplots, six stalls and a square, which would be completed next year.

- Bernama