Attacks on the Press in 2005 - Snapshots: Malaysia
| Publisher | Committee to Protect Journalists |
| Publication Date | February 2006 |
| Cite as | Committee to Protect Journalists, Attacks on the Press in 2005 - Snapshots: Malaysia, February 2006, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/47c56729b.html [accessed 5 June 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
In February, police questioned Malaysian blogger Jeff Ooi for two hours in connection with a contributor's September 2004 posting to his Web log. The contributor made a disparaging remark about Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi's view of Islam. Ooi promptly deleted the message and issued an apology, but police filed their own complaint against him. Sources reported that Ooi was investigated under a section of the nation's penal code that prohibits acts fostering "religious disunity," a charge that carries a penalty of two to five years in prison.
The National Security Bureau of Malaysia confiscated the June 2 edition of the Epoch Times, a Chinese-language newspaper associated with the Falun Gong, and banned subsequent editions of the publication. In July, the government sent an official letter accusing the paper of presenting a negative image of China.
