1. Archdioces of Kuala Lumpur (http://www.archway.org.my)
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PRESS STATEMENT ON THE "SHOW-CAUSE" LETTER ISSUED TOTHE HERALD
KUALA LUMPUR: CHRISTIAN FEDERATION OF MALAYSIA
(PERSEKUTUAN KRISTIAN MALAYSIA)
Address: 10, Jalan 11/9, Section 11, 46200 Pctaling Jaya,
Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia
Telephone: (03) 79571278, (03) 7957146, Fax: (03) 79571457
Email: cfmsia @yahoo.co.uk
PRESS STATEMENT ON THE "SHOW-CAUSE" LETTER ISSUED TOTHE HERALD
The Christian Federation of Malaysia (CFM) regards the three warning letters sent by the Home Affairs Ministry to the publishers of the HERALD as unjustified and an infringement of the right to circulate news within one' own religious community, a right guaranteed by our Federal Constitution (Article 11).
Christians believe that all of life, in its political, economic, social, cultural and religious aspects, come under the sovereignty of God. Therefore, Christians have a duty to educate its members to discern God's will and purpose by writing and publishing articles in church newsletters.
Furthermore, the weekly news contained in the Herald is intended for Catholic Christians who are regular Sunday worshippers, in order to help them to relate their faith to wider concerns, and to pray effectively for God's blessings and guidance in one's life, nation and the world.
The Christian Federation of Malaysia (CFM) calls upon the Home Affairs Ministry to unconditionally withdraw the "Show-cause" letter and grant the HERALD their renewable publishing permit. Should there be matters for clarification it should be resolved rationally and reasonably through face to face dialogue.
Bishop Dr Paul Tan Chee Ing, SJ
Chairman, Christian Fcdration of Malaysia
Dated: 141h August 2008
(2) Christians want government to withdraw HERALD warning
KUALA LUMPUR: In a ease that involves both media and religious freedom, the Christian Federation of Malaysia (CFM) has asked the government to withdraw the warning letters to Catholic newspaper HERALD.
The CFM said that the warning and show cause letters were unjustified and an infringement of the fundamental right to circulate news within a religious community.
"Christians believe that all of life - in its political, economic, social, cultural and religious aspects - comes under the sovcrcignty of God," CFM chairman Bishop Paul Tan Chee Ing SJ said in a statement.
"Therefore, Christians have a duty to educate followers of the religion to discern God’s will and purpose by writing and publishing articles in church newsletters,”he said.
2. New Straits Times Online (http://www.nst.com.my)
Catholic weekly defends itself , 14 August 2008
by Farrah Naz Karim
PUTRAJAYA: The Catholic weekly under scrutiny for alleged repeated breach of its permit conditions, has come out strongly to defend itself. The Herald had assured the Home Ministry that the authorities had nothing to worry about as the weekly was targeted at Catholics and not the general public.
Its editor, Father Lawrence Andrew, said Herald had never gone beyond issues of religion in its publications.
He, however, pointed out that the weekly could not help that religious issues were interlinked with matters of everyday life including the effects of high prices and other social dimensions.
"We are just living our faith," said Father Lawrence.
"The weekly is non-partisan to any political party. We are about educating the Catholics, what's the problem with that.
"It is not like just anybody could pick it up at news stands."
Yesterday, the Ministry's Publication Control and Al-Quran Text Divisions official Che Din Yusoh said the unit would continue to assess the publication's articles.
He had said Herald's permit clearly limited its publication of articles to those on religion. Che Din suggested that the weekly should apply to extend its coverage if it wanted to dabble in politics.
This, he added, should be done when it's time for Herald to renew its permit at the end of the year.
Father Lawrence however, suggested that the Home Ministry appoint officers of various races in the publication control unit.
"They should also put a Christian to assess materials related to the faith, as he would have a better understanding of the religion."
Herald had recently challenged the ministry in court after it was prevented from using the word "Allah" in its publication.
The weekly, with a circulation of 13,000 in English, Bahasa Malaysia, Tamil and Mandarin, was on Monday warned that further infringement of permit conditions could result in its suspension or its licence being revoked.
It had earlier this month been issued a show-cause letter to explain its alleged dabbling in issues other than religion.
Father Lawrence had said that the next issue would carry an editorial on the Permatang Pauh by-election.
He urged the ministry not not to make any assumption on the editorial as they have yet to read it.
"The editorial is only asking people to pray for a just and fair by-election. How is that going against the permit conditions?"
Meanwhile, Suhakam in a statement expressed concern over the threat to suspend the Herald.
It would be deemed an infringement on freedom of expression, the statement said.
© Copyright 2008 The New Straits Times Press (M) Berhad. All rights reserved.
3. Bernama.com (http://www.bernama.com)
(1) Suhakam Expresses Concern With Threat To Suspend Herald's Publication, 13 August 2008
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 13 (Bernama) -- The Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) Wednesday expressed its concern with the threat to suspend the publication of the Herald (the Catholic newsletter) if it publishes an editorial on the Permatang Pauh by-election.
Suhakam Civil and Political Rights Working Group (CPRWG) chairman Datuk Dr Michael Yeoh Onn Kheng, in a media statement, said this would be deemed an infringement on freedom of expression.
"Any Malaysian citizen or publication should be allowed to make comment on Malaysian politics and elections as that is the fundamental right of all ctizens, provided such comments do not provoke dissension and arouse public disorder," he said.
It was reported in The Star on Wednesday that The Herald may have its permit suspended if it goes ahead and publishes an editorial on the Permatang Pauh by-election.
An official with the Home Ministrys publication control and Quran text division had said that this was because an editorial on the by-election was a topic under current affairs and politics which clearly went against the conditions of its permit which should only centre on its religion and religious activities.
The division recently isued a show-cause letter to the Herald for allegedly publishing articles relating to politics.
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- BERNAMA
(2) Herald Has Been Publishing Other Than Religious Issues, Says Dompok, 15 August 2008
PUTRAJAYA, Aug 15 (Bernama) -- Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Tan Sri Bernard Dompok said Friday that the Catholic newsletter, Herald, has been writing about other things besides religious issues from time to time.
He said the newsletter had previously written about social and poverty issues as well as policy direction but had not raised any attention from the government before.
He was asked to comment on talk that the newsletter would be suspended for putting out an editorial on the Permatang Pauh by-election when its publishing licence was for religious publication.
"I was told that the article is meant to ask the people to pray for Malaysians who are voting in Permatang Pauh, and what decision they are going to make. I don't know the rest of the content so I think it will not be fair for me to comment," he told reporters after launching the Public Complaint Bureau's (BPA) website here.
Meanwhile, Dompok, who is also United Pasok Momogun Kadazandusun Organisation (Upko) president, said there is still hope that the federal government would raise the oil royalty for Sabah from three per cent to five per cent.
He said although the matter was brought up last June, no decision had been made so far.
Asked when he would again raise the matter, he said it was still early as it had not even be a year since the general election but there is still hope as the federal government so far has kept its word, especially in handling the illegal immigrants matter in Sabah.
"I certainly am still be very hopeful and that whatever request that have been sent to the prime minister regarding Sabah will be given due attention."
Asked to comment on Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) advisor Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's confidence to form a new government come ept 16, Dompok said: "I think we have to allow them to claim whatever they want. I think we know that it is something that is not possible. I just do not see the figures (on MPs jumping party)".
He said Upko would be very happy to help in Permatang Pauh by-election but it was up to Barisan Nasional (BN) on whether its help was needed.
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- BERNAMA
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