The Edge Financial Daily and weekend edition The Edge Weekly have obtained leave from the High Court in Kuala Lumpur today to challenge the Home Ministry's three-month suspension order.

However, the court refused to grant an interim stay order against the suspension.

This means the Home Ministry's suspension order on the two publications stays in force until The Edge Media Group's case is heard and decided upon.

The decision was made by Justice Asmabi Mohamad.

The Edge named the secretary-general of the ministry and the home minister as respondents.

It filed the judicial review application through the law firm of Raja Darryl & Loh.

Senior federal counsel Alice Loke told reporters the ministry had objected to the interim stay application on three grounds, namely:

  • the respondents have to be in court;

 

  • the suspension order‎ was made pursuant to section 7(1) Publication and Printing Presses Act with the suspension reason being that the publications were prejudicial to public order and national security and public interests; and

    •  

  • that the order had already taken into effect on July 27 so it was not proper to get an interim stay.
    • The Edge was represented by lawyers Darryl Goon, Raja Eileen Soraya Aiman, and Joni Jacqueline.

    The court also fixed Aug 12 to hear an inter-parte application for the stay.

    Quash suspension

    The financial papers were suspended by the ministry following its reports on 1MDB that were described as "prejudicial or likely to be prejudicial to public order, security or likely to alarm public opinion or is likely to be prejudicial to public and national interest".

    In its application, the media group wanted an order to quash the suspension following a letter issued by the ministry on July 23 and that the publications be granted interim stay of the suspension order.

    The Edge owner Tong Kooi Ong and its CEO Ho Kay Tat are also being probed under Section 124B of the Penal Code for alleged activities detrimental to parliamentary democracy.

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