Give better reasons for action against The Edge, Umno MP tells Putrajaya

Datuk Seri Reezal Merican Naina Merican says the government must specify which part of The Edge's coverage on 1MDB violated its publication permit. – The Malaysian Insider file pic, July 26, 2015.

Umno's Kepala Batas MP, Datuk Seri Reezal Merican Naina Merican, today urged the Home Ministry to be "more clear" in their reasoning behind the suspension of The Edge Financial Daily and The Edge Weekly.

The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) member told reporters after attending former prime minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's open house in Putrajaya that the government's justification in suspending The Edge had not been clear enough to be comprehended by the public.

"I'm sure they will have their own reasons for the suspension, but I think it's best that they explain clearly," he said.

He said the ministry must specify which part of The Edge's reportage is deemed to have gone against the paper's publishing permits.

Both the publications were suspended for three months each due to their reporting on the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) issue.

"A lot of people have published or said things that can be construed as inciting. They have gotten away without facing action, so  this decision can be seen as selective," Reezal Merican said.

The Edge has said that it would be filing a judicial review against the decision tomorrow, and is hoping for a speedy hearing.

It maintains that it did not do anything wrong with its reporting on the 1MDB saga and that it will not apologise.

- TMI