(Corrected on 4 May 2012) On World Press Freedom Day 2012, the Centre for Independent Journalism renews its call to the people to reclaim their right to a media that can play its role of bearing witness and informing society.

CIJ, Charter 2000-Aliran, Journalists Union of North Malaya, Penang Chinese Media Journalist and Photographers Association, Penang Press Club and Penang Press Employees Cooperative Society Limited, condemn the arrest of two journalists and police violence towards others who were covering the sit-down protest for free and fair elections in Kuala Lumpur on 28 April 2012.

The Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ) wishes to draw attention to the fact that there has been significantly less print media coverage of the Bersih 3.0 rally and its aims, compared with last year’s event.

CIJ cautiously welcomes that the Home Minister will no longer have absolute discretion to approve printing licences and publishing permits, and the reinstatement of judicial oversight over the minister’s decisions. These changes, however, by themselves are far from adequate to ensure that the media is free to report fairly and accurately. No government minister should ever have had absolute discretion to approve publishing permits in the first place.

The Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ) Malaysia regrets the Home Ministry’s decision to issue a show-cause letter dated today to The Star for publishing a photograph of singer Erykah Badu with tattoos, including one with the Arabic word for “Allah”, on 27 February 2012.

Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ) is disappointed that the police were unable to ensure security for protesters and journalists who were present at the Himpunan Hijau 2.0 solidarity rally held in Penang yesterday.

Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ) is concerned for the safety of Saudi newspaper columnist Hamza Kashgari, currently under detention by Malaysian police at the request of Saudi Arabian authorities for tweets which allegedly insulted Islam and Prophet Muhammad.

CIJ deplores the continued unthinking and reactionary demonisation of dissenting voices that continue to blight Malaysia’s democracy, which is worse still taken seriously by the police.

Right to Know Day, which falls on 28 September annually, is an occasion to promote access to information as a basic human right, as spelt out in Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ) is shocked to learn that the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) has issued a directive to broadcasters not to air a video promoting voting for the upcoming general election. MCMC’s ‘ban’ of the Undilah project’s public service announcement urging the rakyat to vote is absurd and against the spirit of democracy.