The Home Ministry has asked three newspapers to show cause on why action should not be taken against them over their news coverage on a number of political issues.

Confirming this, the ministry's Publications Control and Al-Quran Texts Unit secretary Che Din Yusof told Malaysiakini today that the three papers were English daily The Sun , Chinese newspaper Sin Chew Daily and opposition PKR's party organ Suara Keadilan .

He said the ministry has issued the show-cause letters yesterday and the three papers had been given a week to reply.

According to him, The Sun was asked to show cause for allegedly "manipulating and playing up numerous sensitive issues". He however did not reveal anything more on this.

Meanwhile, Sin Chew has been targeted for its recent reports on the racial slur controversy involving Umno division leader Ahmad Ismail.

Che Din explained that under the ministry's guidelines, newspapers should not report on sensitive racial issues to avoid jeopardising inter-ethnic relations.

tian chua suara keadilan permit kdn 220408 newspaper Whereas for Suara Keadilan , it was over its report in its latest issue which quoted sources alleging that inspector general of police Musa Hassan was paralysed after a heart surgery.

Under the law, the home minister holds the discretionary right to suspend or revoke the publications' annual permit if they fail to provide a satisfactory explanation.

Yesterday Home Minister Syed Hamid Albar said that show-cause letters had been issued to several newspapers for failing to adhere to the ministry's media guidelines.

He however did not name the dailies.

‘We don't go about instigating'

In an immediate response, theSun 's editor-in-chief Chong Cheng Hai told Malaysiakini that the paper will defend its reports and reply to the ministry's letter within the one-week time frame.

malaysian media congress forum 030407 sun newspaper "I don't see how our reports were manipulating the issues. We don't go about instigating," said Chong, who added that he has not seen the letter personally as he is not in the office today.

Citing the example on the controversy surrounding Ahmad, he said the paper only picked up the issue after it was highlighted in other papers and that theSun was merely reporting on the police reports that were lodged by the complainants.

When contacted, Sin Chew's editor-in-chief Pooh Ah Lek also confirmed that the paper was asked to show cause and it will reply accordingly.

He however declined to elaborate when asked on the details of the letter or on whether it would tender an apology for its report.

sin chew daily jit poh 120908 In a rather rare move, Sin Chew itself carried a report prominently featured on top of its page three today over the fact that it was asked to show cause by the ministry.

The daily, caught in a nationwide maelstrom, has came out strongly in defence of its reporter who stands accused of misreporting comments made by Ahmad.

The top selling Chinese paper was accused by the Umno chieftain for misconstruing portions of his campaign speech during the Permatang Pauh by-election where he was said to have allegedly called the Malaysian Chinese as squatters.

Ahmad was suspended for three years from the party on Wednesday following the controversy.

Pooh has earlier cited five main elements to counter Ahmad's allegations in defending its report.

Suara Keadilan could not be reached for comment at press time.