Home Ministry Issues Show Cause Letter To Sin Chew Over Flag Error

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Police and the Home Ministry have both launched investigations against Sin Chew Daily over the newspaper’s mistake in printing an illustration depicting an incomplete Jalur Gemilang.
In a statement today, the Home Ministry said it has summoned Sin Chew for investigations under the Emblems and Names (Prevention of Improper Use) Act 1963 and Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984 (PPPA).
It has also issued a show-cause letter to the Chinese-language daily.
“As the ministry in charge of security and public order, the Home Ministry will not tolerate any attempt to threaten the nation’s stability, harmony, and well-being,” it added.
Several media outlets reported that Inspector-General of Police Razarudin Husain said the police have also launched investigations under Section 4(1)(b) of the PPPA.
Inspector-General of Police Razarudin HusainThe provision makes it an offence to print materials that could incite violence, lead to a breach of peace, or promote feelings of “ill-will, hostility, enmity, hatred, disharmony or disunity”.
The offence is punishable with up to three years imprisonment, a fine up to RM20,000, or both.
Utusan Malaysia quoted Razarudin saying the police had received 13 police reports on the issue, while Berita Harian quoted him as saying that there were three police reports.
The investigations came despite calls from civil society groups to hold Sin Chew accountable for the mistake without resorting to punitive measures and outdated laws such as the PPPA.
On Tuesday, Sin Chew carried a front-page illustration of a jong bearing the Malaysian and China flags to coincide with Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to the country.
However, the Malaysian flag was missing its crescent moon.
The newspaper has since apologised and blamed the mistake on a “technical error”. It has also corrected the illustration in the digital edition of the copy, and republished the print corrected version in today’s print edition. - Mkini

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