Malaysian mainstream media further demonise marginalised voices The Malaysian mainstream media, long shackled by repressive laws and their political masters, recently outdid themselves in toeing the official line by painting a dangerously lopsided picture of two rallies in the Kuala Lumpur capital that happened within weeks of each other. That thousands joined both rallies, in a nation that has been conditioned to shun [...] Freest press in Southeast Asia? RSF’s 2007 press freedom index (rankings for Southeast Asia): Cambodia tops the list (ranked 85 in the world), followed by Timor-Leste (94), Indonesia (100), Malaysia (124), Philippines (128), Thailand (135), Singapore (141), Laos (161), Vietnam (162), Burma (164). Find out why. Brunei is not ranked due to lack of data. ‘International community must act on Burma’, Article 19 Thousands of Burmese have taken to the streets in peaceful demonstrations to protest the military regime. What started as a protest against fuel hike on August 15 has now turned into a massive people’s demonstration which includes the highly revered Buddhist monks. Today, the junta fired tear gas to disperse protesters, who have defied threats by [...] Malaysian High Court throws out blogger’s remand review The Malaysian High Court ruled yesterday that blogger Nathaniel Tan’s remand review was “academic and that any judgement made would not make any difference”. Tan, who is also an Opposition activist, said the revision of his remand was an attempt to set a precedent that will stop the police from “kidnapping clearly innocent citizens, and using [...] Clueless Malaysian police behind arrest of blogger Malaysian opposition activist Nathaniel Tan, who was arrested for a comment on his blog left by an anonymous visitor (see SEAPA alerts of 18 and 16 July 2007), shares a disconcerting revelation upon his release: “The fact that I appear to be the best suspect they could arrest in relation to this case indicates that the [...] Philippine anti-terror law threatens civil liberties The Human Security Act, a new law in the Philippines that allows arbitrary use of state machinery to fight terror, seriously undermines the country’s constitutional protection for civil liberties, argues Florin T. Hilbayin in a commentary published on the Inquirer.net on 15 July 2007. Hilbay, a law professor at the University of the Philippines, outlines the [...] Down the slippery slope of Internet censorship in Thailand…and what maketh a telecoms minister The Thai interim government has gained some notoriety for its assault on the Internet, particularly after it blocked Youtube.com for refusing to take down a video clip that allegedly insulted the monarchy. Local English daily Bangkok Post finds out what it actually takes to monitor the Internet and how that slippery slope of censorship is [...] Between Thaksin and the junta – who was worse for the Thai media? Did the media have it better under the regime of deposed prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra? Respected media reform advocate Prof Ubonrat Siriyuwasak tells The Nation that as bad as Thaksin had been, the current junta-led regime is worse for having wiped out the constitutional guarantee for all freedoms. She notes the print media’s apparent indifference to violations against [...] In Thailand, ‘Big Brother’ now on SMS The Thailand junta appears insecure of its hold of the country despite the many controls it has imposed on the media and is now attempting to ’advise’ the populace via unsolicited short text messages (SMS). “Army Commander-in-Chief and CNS Chairman wishes to see peace, order and harmony.  All parties please perform your duty and be peaceful,” read one, alleged a mobile phone user. The junta’s latest ’media strategy’ is yet another [...] Thai government bows to media pressure to drop draft bill The junta-appointed cabinet in Thailand has dropped its own draft publishing bill following pressure from the media fraternity, reports Bangkok Post today. Instead, the government will consider the version drafted by members of the media sitting in the National Legislative Assembly, which repeals the draconian 1941 Printing Act. See also the Nation Multimedia Group’s group editor Tepchai Yong’s comment. [...] In Malaysia, an arts party for press freedom SEAPA partners in Malaysia, the Centre for Independent Journalism and web-based daily Malaysiakini.com, celebrated World Press Freedom Day with indy music outfit Troubadours KL. Poetry recitals, indy music performances, art workshop for children, cartoon exhibition . . . it all happened at the arts hub Central Market in Kuala Lumpur, over the 5 May weekend. More pictures and stories here.   [...] Thai media want old law gone One of the cited justifications for the 19 September 2006 coup d’etat in Thailand was for the return of true democracy following years of backslide under deposed premier Thaksin Shinawatra. “So,” writes Thepchai Yong, group editor of The Nation Multimedia Group, “as we are working on political reforms in conjunction with the drafting of a new constitution, abrogating the 1941 Printing [...] Mizzima News wins IPI’s Free Media Pioneer; a third for SEAPA network The International Press Institute (IPI), the global network of editors, media executives and leading journalists, has announced its decision to honour the Mizzima News Agency with its 2007 Free Media Pioneer Award. Mizzima joins two others in the SEAPA network to have been so honoured in the past - a SEAPA founding member, the Alliance [...] Bad press for media freedom in Thailand May 3 is an occasion for media all over the world to take stock of how they have fared over the year in being able to do their job unfettered. Kavi Chongkittavorn, assitant group editor of Nation Multimedia Group and SEAPA chair, comments on Thailand’s fallen ranking according to two international media rights group, noting [...] Malaysia to set up unit to counter online ‘lies’ The unfettered online accusations of government corruption over the past weeks in the run-up to two hotly-contested by-elections in Malaysia have prompted the government to enter the cyber battlefield by setting up a unit to monitor and counter the “lies”. Deputy Information Minister Chia Kwang Chye said the unit will not have enforcement power, but will [...] Government censorship of Net tends to be self-defeating, says SEAPA executive director “For all their best intentions, those who seek to control content in cyberspace have a tendency to breed self-fulfilling fears,” says SEAPA Executive Director Roby Alampay, in an opinion piece published on IHT on 12 April 2007, following the Thai government’s blocking of YouTube. Read it in full. Also, hear his interview with Voice of America, explaining the precarious [...] Is it time to rein in the lese majeste law in Thailand? David Streckfuss, a scholar who has studied the sensitive issue of lese majeste in Thailand, dares to ask this in the Bangkok Post. Streckfuss argues that the law is easily - and has been repeatedly - abused. He points out that for a law that is meant to protect the monarchy, its application has hardly [...] Thailand’s Internet law “overbroad”, says ARTICLE 19 ARTICLE 19, an international NGO working to protect and promote free expression, has analysed Thailand’s draft of the Computer-Related Offences Commission Act and found it detrimental, especially in the following aspects: It establishes unduly broad prohibitions on accessing information over computer systems. The penalties, which extend to capital punishment, are far too heavy for the offences. Unduly broad [...] ‘Playboy Indonesia’ editor acquitted Playboy Indonesia editor-in-chief Erwin Arnada has been cleared of distributing indecent pictures and profiting from them. Chief Judge Erfan Basyuning ruled that pictures of scantily dressed women, under criminal laws, was not pornography.  Erwin had faced nearly three years in prison in a case closely watched by conservative Muslims in the country, who had tried to disrupt the trial and intimidate [...] Malaysian minister urges media to refrain from quoting blogs ‘of no authority’ Malaysia’s news agency Bernama reports Information Minister Zainuddin Maidin as urging the press not to use blogs as their sources of information as they may not be valid. Zainuddin said some blogs are not updated and contain inaccurate information, which could discomfit and confuse surfers. He claimed that many blogs are run by “individuals of no authority” [...] Let’s hear it from women journalists One of the topics seldom broached by the restricted media in Malaysia is the very story of restricted media itself. On the occasion of International Women’s Day on 8 March 2007, Jacqueline Ann Surin, assistant news editor for The Sun newspaper, tells ARTICLE 19 what it is like working as a journalist - and a [...] Thailand’s Internet governance - what’s happening here? SEAPA Chairperson Kavi Chonkittavorn writes in The Nation about Thailand’s messy Internet strategy (or lack thereof), and how it has impacted adversely on freedom of expression and press freedom in the Kingdom since a military coup ousted the Thaksin government last September. Read more. On 77th bithday, imprisoned Burmese journalist U Win Tin demands his right to be free Burmese journalist U Win Tin, imprisoned for almost 18 years by the military junta, marked his 77th birthday on 12 March 2007 by issuing a rare call for resistance against the regime. Reporters Without Borders and the Burma Media Association said: “The inhumanity of this military junta, which has imprisoned a sick, 77-year-old man for nearly [...] Vietnam expels BBC reporter BBC correspondent Bill Hayton is being forced to leave Vietnam where he’s been reporting from since last May. The authoritarian government has refused to renew his press visa, according to Reporters Without Borders (RSF). Hayton had written about the repression on dissidents and refused to comply with the rule requiring foreign journalists to ask for [...] Governor sues editors, writer in Philippines for “libel”; editor arrested Philippine police arrested an online newsmagazine editor and attempted to arrest her four colleagues on 7 March 2007, over a libel case, reports GMANews.TV. Ilocos Sur Governor Luis Singson is suing “Newsbreak” editor-in-chief Maritess Danguilan-Vitug, editor Gemma Bagayaua former managing director Maan Hontiveros, business editor Lala Rimando, and staffwriter Aries Rufo for P100 million (approx. US$2.064 million). To find out more, [...] Nine protesters released in Burma, warned of life imprisonment penalty in future The military junta has released nine demonstrators arrested for participating in a 22 February 2007 protest against the regime for failing to address soaring inflation and other issues of the day, the New Delhi-based online daily Mizzima.com reported on 27 February. SEAPA: Death of two videopersons covering probe on Indonesian ferry fire, a bitter reminder on journalists’ safety The Southeast Asian Press Alliance (SEAPA) is saddened over the deaths of broadcast journalists Suherman, 31, and Muhammad Guntur, 36, who were killed on 25 February 2007, in Jakarta, Indonesia, while covering an investigation into a ferry fire that cost some 50 lives. Both were camerapersons for private broadcasters - Suherman was with SCTV; and Muhammad [...] Authorities ban films, books, television talkshow; threaten Internet users again The Southeast Asian Press Alliance (SEAPA) is concerned over a series of actions by Malaysian authorities against the broadcast and print media and cyberspace, which point to increasing intolerance for free expression and differing viewpoints. The National Censorship Board recently banned the film “I don’t want to sleep alone” by award-winning filmmaker Tsai Ming Liang, according [...] Media invited to cover 314km march for free expression in Cambodia Invitation to the Media Rights March Wat Phnom to Angkor Wat February 28-March 15, 2007 Phnom Penh, February 27th, 2007 The Alliance for Freedom of Expression in Cambodia (AFEC) invites the media to report on the “March for Freedom of Expression, Non-Violence, and Political Tolerance in Cambodia” from Wat Phnom, Phnom Penh to Angkor Wat, Siem Reap from February 28th to [...] Malaysia bans independent documentary for “distorting history” The Malaysian government has banned an independent documentary about the lives of former Malay Muslim members of the now defunct Communist Party of Malaya. In a letter sent to the director, Amir Muhammad, the Malaysian Film Censorship Unit gave seven reasons for its 12 February 2007 decision to ban “Apa Khabar Orang Kampung” (Village People Radio [...]