Home Minister Syed Hamid Albar would not budge from the government stance that there is ‘no absolute press freedom’, among other snippets from parliamentary proceedings today.

‘No’ absolute press freedom

Home Minister Syed Hamid Albar has maintained that there is no absolute press freedom.

He said this in response to a supplementary question by Lim Guan Eng (DAP-Bagan) on the relevance of the national media doctrine in the age of the Internet media.

lim guan eng Lim asked why restrictive acts - such as the Printing Presses and Publications Act and Sedition Act - are in place if the media doctrine is based on press freedom.

Syed Hamid said there is no freedom without rules. He said that laws are to prevent some who would like to “follow the law of the jungle and take actions that jeopardise other races”.

Proton's competitiveness

Proton remains strong with a profit of RM162 million as at March, said deputy finance minister Ahmad Husni Hanadzlah.

He was replying Nga Kor Ming (DAP-Taiping) on Proton's competitiveness in the international market, given that it is using outdated technology.

proton and car Proton still holds 30 percent of the domestic market, Ahmad said, and has penetrated the Chinese market. It is not doing as well in Indonesia and India, but these are not target markets for the national car-maker.

He reiterated that Italian motorcycle maker Agusta was sold for 1 euro because there was no synergy in the car-motorcycle model. Instead of carrying a debt burden of a RM545 million, Proton sold the company.

Senate appointments

Five new senators were appointed to Dewan Negara today.

They are Chandrasekar Suppiah and Usha Nandini Jayaram (MIC), Abdul Rahman Bakar (Umno), Ahamat@Ahamad Yusop (Umno), Tee Hock Seng (MCA) and Ahmad Rusli Ibrahim (PAS).