Concerned groups and individuals today hold a noisy protest against the action taken by the government against China Press over the Squatgate scandal.

As part of the protest, the group of some 100 people handed a memorandum to the Human Rights Commission (Suhakam).

In a joint statement accompanying the memorandum, they called for the resignation of Deputy Internal Security Minister Noh Omar.

"Abusive practices in the police force are increasingly getting out of hand, as shown by media exposure.

"While the public waits for the report of the independent commission on the nude ear-squat issue, the media is being attacked," they said, adding that Suhakam should initiate a public inquiry into the China Press incident and investigate government abuse of the Printing Presses and Publications Act (PPPA).

Last week, two China Press editors were forced to relinquish their posts over a report in the daily, which wrongly identified the woman in the nude-squat video as a Chinese national.

The protestors, with placards and newspaper cutouts to indicate censorship, gathered outside the Suhakam office in Kuala Lumpur to hand over the memorandum endorsed by among others Suara Rakyat Malaysia (Suaram), the National Human Rights Society (Hakam), the Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ), the Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall (Youth Section), the Writers Alliance for Media Independence (Wami) and Research for Social Advancement (Refsa).

Two uniformed police officers were stationed outside the Suhakam headquarters but took no action taken against any protestors who chanted slogans calling for the resignation of Noh.

Speeches and cheers

At about 11.45am, five representatives from the group led by Suara Rakyat Malaysia (Suaram) executive-director Yap Swee Seng submitted the memorandum to Suhakam commissioner N Subramaniam.

While waiting for the representatives to exit, those present including DAP parliamentarian Teresa Kok, who first exposed the video took turns to give short speeches to those present.

The crowd, in return, blew whistles and cheered to express support for the speakers.

The memorandum signed 53 civil society and journalists' group also urged Suhakam to take measures to abolish the permit requirement for newspapers as well as to ensure the government adopts a Freedom of Information Act.

"In a democratic society, the free press plays an important role in monitoring the behaviour of the government in order to prevent any abuse of power," she said.

In accepting the memorandum on behalf of Suhakam, Subramaniam assured the group the matter will 'be handled accordingly'.

"Please be assured that we would act on this issue. We would like to give you an assurance that we would abide by all the stands Suhakam has made on this particular issue (press freedom)," he said.

"You can help us by providing extra documentation to help us prepare papers for discussion at the commission's meeting," he said, adding that any requests to hold a public inquiry into the China Press incident can only be approved by the commission.

Urgent matter

He reiterated that Suhakam stood by the rights of freedom of expression and information.

"You will be aware that Suhakam has stood by the rights of freedom of expression and information (which) remain imperative to the proper functioning of any democratic society. This has remained as the stand of Suhakam," he said.

In its past annual reports, Suhakam had made recommendations to the government to repeal repressive media laws - including the PPPA - which have restrict freedom of press and information in the country. But so far, all these recommendations have been ignored by the government.

Met later, Subramaniam said Suhakam will take up the issue as 'a matter of urgency'.

"We will take an immediate action. I will call the chairman this afternoon and discuss this with him. We will act on it immediately," he said.

The commission's next meeting will be held early next month, he added.

Among the other organisations which endorsed the memorandum were Media Agenda Malaysia (MAM), Pusat Komunikasi Masyarakat , Research for Social Advancement, Institut Kajian Dasar and Amnesty International.

Online news websites malaysiakini and merdekareview were the only two media organisations which lent their names to the memorandum.