Ministry warning against Utusan ‘insufficient’, says DAP
By Shazwan Mustafa Kamal, The Malaysian Insider
KUALA LUMPUR, May 13 — DAP wants Datuk Seri Najib Razak to take sterner action against Utusan Malaysia over its “Christian Malaysia” report, saying that a mere home ministry warning letter is insufficient.
The Umno daily was reprimanded by the ministry for publishing an unsubstantiated front-page article alleging a Christian plot to usurp Islam as the religion of the federation. The story sparked a furore among the country’s majority Muslims and minority Christians.
On Saturday, Utusan Malaysia carried a front-page article headlined “Kristian agama rasmi?” (Christianity the official religion?), claiming the DAP was conspiring with Christian leaders to take over Putrajaya and abolish Islam as the religion of the federation.
The report, based entirely on unsubstantiated blog postings by two pro-Umno bloggers, charged DAP with sedition for allegedly trying to change the country’s laws to allow a Christian prime minister.
DAP leaders said today that Utusan must also make a formal apology for its “erroneous” reporting.
“The Prime Minister must convince Malaysians that Utusan Malaysia does not enjoy full legal immunity by taking stern action against the editors and reporters involved for their irresponsible behaviour.
“A reprimand letter requires no follow-up action by the newspaper, as compared with a demand to show cause, and is akin to just a slap on the wrist,” said DAP Assistant National Publicity Secretary Teo Nie Ching in a statement.
Teo, who is a Christian said that the Prime Minister should not practice double standards when dealing with Utusan and that all newspapers should be subjected to the same level of scrutiny.
The Serdang MP compared Utusan’s punishment to the Home Ministry’s past action against Chinese-language newspapers, and pointed out that newspapers like China Press and Sin Chew Daily have been punished far worse for inaccurate reports.
“The error of Utusan Malaysia is far more dangerous and insidious …yet, Utusan Malaysia was let off with merely a warning from the Ministry. Why has no stern action been taken against the chief editor and the journalist who wrote the article?” said Teo. DAP socialist youth chief (Dapsy) Anthony Loke demanded that Utusan retract its entire report and publish an official admission of error and apology.
“It is insufficient…they must retract their report, and put a front page apology, admitting their misreporting, that must be done the very least.
“If this happens to other papers, their licenses would have revoked or at least suspended,” Loke told The Malaysian Insider.
