Malaysian daily slammed for spiking article on caning

Social activist Marina Mahathir said The Star refused to publish her weekly column Wednesday because of concerns that such sensitive articles could jeopardize its printing permit. All publications in Malaysia must renew their printing licenses each year to operate.

The Star got into trouble over a Feb. 9 opinion piece by managing editor P. Gunasegaram, a non-Muslim, who criticized the caning of the women for sex outside of marriage, saying it undermined individual rights. The Home Ministry threatened action against The Star, saying the article might harm public order.

The newspaper withdrew the article and issued an apology.

Marina, the daughter of former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, wrote on her Internet blog that the law requiring publications to renew their license every year holds them hostage to the government.

“But still there is room for courage, to stand up for freedom of speech. If we capitulate every time, then why bother publishing at all?” she wrote.

Star editors could not immediately be reached for comment.

The ministry's threat against The Star has fueled concerns that conservative Islamists appear to be gaining influence over the government in the Muslim-majority country. Malaysia has long been seen as a model of a moderate and progressive Islamic society.

Marina said censoring the print media is pointless.

“What is the point of censoring the mainstream media when there is the freewheeling Internet? The other point we should make to people like The Star is, what is the point of constantly sucking up to the government when they can still turn around and bite you?” Marina said.

The caning of the three women has caused debate in Malaysia. Rights groups say it is a degrading punishment and that civil law forbids the caning of women.

But the government insists it is a just penalty and that the caning for women provided for under Shariah law does not inflict physical pain.

The country's Islamic courts -- which administer personal matters for Muslims -- can mete out caning sentences for such offenses as drinking alcohol in public and sex out of wedlock. Previously women had usually appealed the caning sentences so that no woman was ever caned.

Muslims make up 60 percent of the country's 28 million people. Non-Muslims are mainly ethnic Indian and Chinese.

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