Several media activist groups and community-based organisations showed their support for malaysiakini today following Monday's police raid on the online news organisation's premises in Kuala Lumpur.

Tang Ah Chai, spokesperson for the Committee Against the Takeover of Nanyang Press by MCA (or CAT) said his group was shocked by the police action.

"It appears that the police have found malaysiakini guilty even before proving a case. Taking all the (editorial) computers knowing full well that these are needed for the operation of the online daily seems to indicate that," he said.

Tang said he believes that the action has been taken to silence dissenting voices ahead of a general election, which is widely expected this year although it is not due until November 2004.

Writers Alliance for Media Independence spokesperson Chou Wen Loong said the police action was a blow to press freedom in the country.

"When a media organisation is not allowed to publish letters or opinions from its readers, it just shows blatant abuse (of power)," he said.

Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall president Ting Chee Seng said the police action shows that there is limited space for press freedom in Malaysia.

"This is not only a clampdown on press freedom. It is also a clampdown on human rights as it denies people the right to information. This has also exposed the way our top leaders rule the country," Ting said.

Avenue for free expression

Damansara Save Our School Committee secretary Tommy Chin echoed the sentiment, saying that malaysiakini had provided his group with an avenue for expression when the school was embroiled in controversy over relocation in 2000.

"That proves that malaysiakini is an independent news organisation which is not afraid to cover issues of public interest," he noted.

Civil Rights Committee chairperson Ser Choon Ing said the police action ran contrary to the government's efforts to develop information and communications technology.

He urged Umno Youth, as an organisation for future leaders, to be more open to criticism.

Leading Chinese education movement United Chinese School Teachers Association of Malaysia (Jiao Zong) vice-president Loot Ting Yee urged the government to loosen current restrictions on free speech.

"They want to have absolute control over the media and usurp the people's right to free speech, especially now that the general election is looming," he added.

Malaysiakini, set up in 1999, is Malaysia's only independent online news daily. Among other expressions of support it has received is a bouquet of flowers from Jiao Zong and Dong Zong (United Chinese School Committees' Association of Malaysia).