KDN permit – medieval law outdated for 300 years

Repression in 2009

Ahmad subjected to daily grilling of 8-9 hours

Malaysia’s KDN permit, which gives the home minister a stranglehold on the newspaper business, is based on English law like most of our civil law system. So what’s the problem? — England abolished the law on press licences 300 years ago.

If you hear people saying Malaysia relies on medieval forms of government, you merely have to look at the KDN permit and the attitudes towards press licensing and control shown by the dishonourable thugs that you keep electing into power — sufficient examples of a greedy power-hungry elite that wants to keep people’s thoughts suppressed.

What happened in England while press licensing was in place? People were flogged. [» Press laws: when a printer was whipped in public] In Malaysia 300 years later, it feels little different: there is public humiliation and harrassment for journalists and bloggers who do not toe the line or kowtow to people in power.

Is there a 21st century democracy in Malaysia?

With laws still in place that looks and sounds medieval, and is so, in thought and deed? You must be joking.

What happened in England 300 years ago:
» BBC News: The key moments that shaped the British press
A report on press licensing run as a curtain-raiser to the Leveson Report expected to be released next week on press regulation for the future.

- Uppercaise