Closure of TMI portal does not mean govt rejects press freedom

KUALA LUMPUR: The closure of The Malaysian Insider (TMI) at midnight today, is fuelled by commercial reasons and not because the government is against freedom of speech or press freedom.
Umno welfare bureau chairman Datuk Shamsul Anuar Nasarah said TMI's closure could be due to their own weaknesses as there were many other news portals which were still operating.
"There are many other portals which are critical but still have the freedom of speech ... if the government wants to control, then it will control all," he told reporters at the Parliament lobby today.
It was reported that TMI, in its notice on its portal, announced its closure, effective midnight.
It was also reported that TMI editor Jahabar Sadiq said The Edge Media Group as its owner, had made that decision based on commercial reasons.
Shamsul Anuar also dismissed claims that the detention of two Australian journalists after they were reported to have tried to breach security detail around Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak on Saturday had anything to do with press freedom. — Bernama