Suara Keadilan seized nationwide

Some 10,000 to 20,000 copies of Suara Keadilan have been confiscated from vendors in various parts of the country since last month, said PKR information chief Tian Chua.

Chief editor of PAS’ Harakah Ahmad Lutsi Othman also confirmed that thousands of copies of last Monday’s issue of the party’s newsletter were seized from vendors in nearly every state on Sunday.

Its front-page story was on the change of government in Perak with the picture of a boy affected by tear gas during the demonstration in Kuala Kangsar on Friday.

The Home Ministry’s Publication and Quranic Text Control Division secretary Che Din Yusoh said the conditions of the printing permits require that the political parties must sell their publications to their party members only and not through vendors to the public.

“They are trying to test our patience,” he said.

On whether the confiscation had to do with the contents, Che Din said, “No.” He said it was part of their routine checks.

PKR information chief Tian Chua claimed that no specific reason was given for the confiscation.

“The Home Ministry should write and tell us specifically where we went wrong,” he said.

The latest issue had the headline “Siapa Derhaka” (Who is committing treason?) on the front page.

“If they are not happy with the contents, they should inform us,” Tian Chua said.

A photocopy of a letter from the Home Ministry showed that the confiscation was done based on Section 5 (1) of the Printing Presses and Publication Act.

PKR would write to Home Minister Datuk Syed Hamid Albar and bring up the issue in Parliament, Tian Chua said.

A joint complaint will be made with PAS on the confiscation of Harakah, although the target had been mainly Suara Keadilan, he said.

- THE STAR