Customs D-G tears into The Economist for delay allegation

The Customs Department has lashed out at The Economist for accusing the agency of delaying a shipment of its latest issue, saying the London-based magazine was “giving excuses” for its own distribution issues.

Customs Director-General (D-G) Datuk Seri Khazali Ahmad today denied his department’s involvement in the magazine’s curious delay, which the Home Ministry also said was not its doing.

“I know the information is inaccurate. There was never any seizure done in the KLIA’s Customs,” Khazali told reporters after a conference here, referring to the Kuala Lumpur International Airport.

KLIA’s Customs is responsible for international magazines that are flown into the country.

The Economist said yesterday that the Customs Department is holding back its latest edition for “unknown reasons”, after earlier notifying local subscribers that delivery was delayed due to “sensitive content”.

The denials by both the Customs Department and Home Ministry mean that no related agency has claimed responsibility for the delay.

Khazali today also criticised the magazine for not checking on the cause of the purported seizure before pinning blame on his agency.

“If you don’t know the reason, don’t accuse the Customs Department. Find the real reason,” said Khazali.

“Any publication is under the purview of the Home Ministry. If there is no seizure order from the ministry, then Customs will not act.”

Yesterday, The Home Ministry’s Publication and Quranic Texts Control Division secretary Hashimah Nik Jaafar said it did not encounter any “problems” with the latest edition of The Economist.

But the ministry also insisted that it has no authority over the Customs Department.

Malaysian subscribers of the magazine received an email earlier this week informing them that the latest edition would be delayed.

“Due to sensitive content in the July 5th 2014 print edition of The Economist, there has been a delay in distribution,” said the email.

The magazine’s subscription centre told The Malay Mail Online that it was not told which article or part of the edition was deemed “sensitive”.

The delay does not affect subscribers to the digital edition of the magazine.