Mixing Islam and terrorism: a blunder too far for Malaysia’s Star?
Front page that juxtaposed a picture of praying Muslims and a Malaysian terrorist leader lands paper in hot water with Najib Razak – raising the prospect of ‘yet another nail in the coffin of press freedom’
The Malaysian government’s threat to suspend a leading newspaper unless it explains a controversial front page that juxtaposed a headline about a terrorist leader with a picture of Muslims praying is the latest sign Prime Minister Najib Razak is unafraid of taking on the media, observers say.
The interior ministry issued a “show cause” order to The Star after the English daily’s front page on May 27 caused uproar on social media.
The top half of the page had featured the headline “Malaysian terrorist leader”, referring to the emergence of a Malaysian, Mahmud Ahmad, as a top regional Islamic State leader. Beneath it, separated by a thin line, was a picture of Muslims praying at the beginning of Ramadan, the Islamic holy month.
The government said the newspaper had seven days to “respond to the show cause letter on why action should not be taken...including having its printing permit suspended”.
It said the front page could inadvertently lead people to link Muslims with terrorism. The Star had said it published the picture as part of an annual tradition of featuring the first evening prayers of the fasting month on its front page.