Continue to publish at your own peril, Suara Keadilan told

Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein warned that action will be taken against Suara Keadilan should it continue to publish its newspaper without permit.

"This is not a subjective issue. You can't publish without a licence," he said.

"There's no point in us issuing these licences if punishment cannot be meted out against offenders," he told reporters at Parliament House today.

The Home Ministry suspended the printing permit of Suara Keadilan, PKR's party organ, on July 2, after reviewing the newspaper's reply to a show-cause letter over an article on Felda.

Party strategy director Tian Chua said the ministry, technically, has not banned Suara Keadilan but merely refused to renew its permit and PKR still retained the right to distribute.

Hishammuddin felt that the political bravado put up by PKR leaders was meant to draw the authorities out to act against them in a move to gain political mileage.

"I feel that PKR leaders think they are special and intend to provoke the authorities to take action against them," he said.

"This is what they want us to do. They are hoping that the public will be angered and the party can tell the people later that the government is stifling freedom of information or that the authorities are abusing their powers," he added.

But Hishammuddin, the Semberong MP, maintained that any action against Suara Keadilan will not be politically motivated but a decision based on legalities.

No mention was made on what type of action will be taken against PKR's organ but the minister had said in the past that the government may consider shutting it down physically.

Tian Chua said 100,000 copies are ready for distribution, adding that PKR has already moved to indemnify the paper in case of losses resulting from any government action.

courtesy of FMT