updated version The powerful Internal Security Ministry is satisfied with the axing of China Press' two top editors for a mistake in its report on the nude-squat scandal and will not mete out further punishment to the newspaper.

It is learnt that the ministry was not satisfied with the termination of the two top editors and had wanted to impose a temporary suspension on the evening edition of the Chinese-language newspaper.

However, Ong Ka Ting, who is leader of MCA - the Chinese-based political party that owns the daily - said today that the controversy had been resolved.

"I'm confidence that the management of China Press has the capability and wisdom to handle the matter. They have accounted for it (their mistake). So, it (the daily) should not faced any more problems," said party chief Ong Ka Ting at a press conference after a MCA central committee meeting today.

Ong, who is party president, said rumours about possible suspension of the newspaper should now cease.

"China Press is responsible for its reporting. They have dealt with the issue professionally," he added.

When asked whether the 'punishment' was fair to China Press when other media organisations had made the same mistake as the Chinese daily, Ong refused to be drawn into the matter.

MCA, the second biggest party in the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition, has suffered a dent in its political clout for its inability to defend its newspaper from the ministry's wrath.

Open apology

The newspaper's evening edition had yesterday offered an open apology for an erroneous report on the infamous 'nude ear-squats' scandal and announced the resignation of China Press' editor-in-chief Chong Choong Nam (right) and executive editor-in-chief Wang Zhao Ping to take responsibility for the mistake.

China Press, which was taken over by MCA in a controversial move four years ago along with sister daily Nanyang Siang Pau, is the second largest circulation among the five major Chinese newspapers in the country. It publishes both a morning and an evening edition.

This morning, Ong visited the headquarters of China Press in Bangsar and had a two-hour meeting with the newspaper's top editors to inform them about the Internal Security Ministry's decision.

As Ong left the China Press building at 11.40am, he told malaysiakini that he was merely "stopping over" at the headquarters and stressed that his visit was not related to the controversy. .

"I just passed by... and met a few (China Press) editors here, chat with them for a while - nothing special."

When asked whether there would be further action taken against China Press, Ong said: "I don't think China Press has any problem. Everything goes as normal."
He described his visit to the newspaper office as "normal". "It was not the first time I went to China Press... sometimes we drop in to see some people."

Ministry's directive?

Umno-owned Utusan Malaysia today reported that the China Press' apology, which appeared in the front-page of the daily's evening edition yesterday, originated from the Internal Security Ministry.

It said a copy of the announcement was faxed from the ministry to China Press for publication.

The announcement, which appeared under the headlines 'Editor-in-chief, executive editor-in-chief resign', said its Nov 23 edition had wrongly claimed the nude woman in the ear-squat video clip scandal was a Chinese national.

"Due to this, two senior China Press editors take full responsibility for the mistake," it said, adding that the two editors had decided to quit.

"China Press also tender our deepest apology for the mistake and inconvenience caused due to this report."

China Press, which was the first to report on the existence of the video clip showing a woman was being forced by a policewoman to do ear-squats in the nude, had received a show-cause letter from the powerful Internal Security Ministry - that oversees all news publications - on Dec 19.

The 'nude-squat' scandal, or sometimes referred to as Squatgate, has triggered a diplomatic tiff between Malaysia and China.

An independent commission of inquiry later found the woman was a local Malay. Fingers were then pointed at the media for the error in identifying the victim.

There were speculations that the China Press evening edition would be suspended should it fail to take action to please the authorities, such as the removal of some of its senior editorial staff.

Media activists have argued the the two top editors were made 'sacrificial lambs' to appease the Internal Security Ministry.