With the potential suspension of their newspaper license hanging over their heads, a group of editors from Malaysia’s largest English-language daily, The Star, appeared at police headquarters in Kuala Lumpur this week to provide statements amid a firestorm surrounding a recent front-page layout.
The pilgrimage to HQ, as reported by the newspaper itself, came on the heels of a public mea culpa and suspension of two top editors, after the publication of a May 27 front page featuring a large standalone photo of Muslims praying — honoring the start of Ramadan — underneath a news headline reading “Malaysian terrorist leader.” Also drawing anger was the fact that an ad for a spa at the bottom of the page showed a woman receiving a massage.
Though a line separated the news headline from the photo and the photo caption makes it clear it has no relation to the story above it (see photo at bottom of page), the impact of what some perceived as an intentional juxtaposition was swift.
A letter issued by Malaysia’s Home Ministry on Monday gives the paper a week to explain why no action should be taken against it for the front page.
“The Star newspaper has been given seven days to reply to the show-cause letter as to why actions under the Printing Presses and Publications Act (PPPA) 1984, including suspension of publishing permit, should not be taken,” reads the statement in part.
Per The Star itself, they were also notified that the front page in question could not only lead to potential prejudice against Muslims but had also “inadvertently ridiculed Islam.”
In an apology issued Sunday online, then again in their print edition on Monday, the newspaper fell on its sword over what it’s hard to believe was anything other than an unintentional gaffe:
“It has been the practice of The Star to respect the first day of Ramadan every year and to place the picture of Muslims at the first prayers on the front page of the paper. This has been done over the last decade or so. In hindsight, The Star should have been more discerning and sensitive to the feelings of our Muslim readers.”
But in an exclusive interview with Benarnews.com, an assistant news editor at the paper, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the government was clearly overreacting.
“The words ‘see reports on Page 3’ were clearly stated under the ‘Malaysian terrorist leader’ headline on the front page and the picture of Muslims in a prayer also had an accompanying caption – so how can anyone mistake the two articles to be connected?”
