The Malaysian government’s decision to suspend a newspaper for a month over printing a picture of Jesus smoking is being seen as a blow for free speech
Malaysia’s Internal Security Ministry on Friday ordered the Makkal Osai daily to stop publishing for one month after a picture appeared last week showing Jesus Christ clutching a cigarette and what appeared to be a beer can. The Tamil language newspaper has insisted that it printed the picture by accident after a staff member failed to spot that Jesus was apparently smoking.
The suspension “will only create a very chilling effect on free expression and is not conducive to creating a vibrant media space,” said Lim Kit Siang, an opposition politician with the Democratic Action Party. He said the matter should have been allowed to rest as there was no malice intended and Christian leaders had accepted the paper’s apology, according to Agence France-Presse (AFP).
Media freedom watchdog the Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ) called the government decision “unwarranted and high-handed”. It said, “That a suspension order can be so swiftly imposed and despite the paper having apologized ... indicate continual disregard for freedom of the press and that alternative expression on religion must not be tolerated."
While agreeing that religious sanctity has to be respected, CIJ expressed concern that the suspension was a blanket punishment against people's channel for information and communication. That a suspension order can be so swiftly imposed and despite the paper having apologised indicate continual disregard for freedom of the press and that alternative expression on religion must not be tolerated.
The paper's suspension, which came after complaints by politicians also smacks of knee-jerk reaction, CIJ said. Suspending the paper after it had given redress to its complainants by apologising, is unwarranted and high-handed. CIJ said it was worried over the call by religious group Malaysian Consultative Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism and Sikhism for the government to act against the paper as it was indicative of the high-handed action mentality.
Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said Thursday that the picture was hurtful and an insult to Christians. Kuala Lumpur archbishop, Murphy Pakiam, criticised it as a "desecration," but later accepted the newspaper's apology.
Malaysian Information Minister Zainuddin Maidin defended the government’s actions, and said it was a reminder to all publications not to offend other religions. “This also shows that the government does not only act against those who publish articles or pictures that offend the sensitivities of the Malays and Muslims,” news agency Bernama quoted him as saying.
The picture, published last Tuesday, was used to illustrate an article on the sayings of great leaders, and ran with the quote: “If someone repents for his mistakes, then heaven awaits them.”
SM Periasamy, general manager of the paper, which caters to multicultural Malaysia’s Indian community, said they would appeal the suspension. "Of course we are shocked by this. My entire staff are all in tears. They will lose a month of income," Periasamy said, according to an Associated Press (AP) report.
Industry officials say one possible reason for the tough action could be because of the paper's criticism of the leadership of the Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC), a leading member of the ruling National Front coalition. Local press has reported that a MIC party member lodged a police complaint saying the picture threatened national harmony.
"The Christian issue has been blown up by MIC," Periasamy said. Makkal Osai is one of two Tamil- anguage newspapers catering to Malaysia's largely Tamil-speaking ethnic Indians. The other newspaper is aligned with MIC.
More than 60 percent of Malaysia's 27 million people are Muslim Malays and Islam is the country's official religion. The constitution guarantees freedom of religion for minority Buddhists, Hindus and Christians, although religious minority groups have recently expressed fear that their rights are being undermined. Malaysia's media is largely state-linked and kept under control.
