Malaysia is taking some of the heat off Thailand as it competes for column space by banning several news magazines for their 'war on terrorism' focus.

Only a couple of days ago my main column reported on the current FEER vs Thailand elite fiasco. Malaysia was miffed obviously. Today they hit back again to make sure thay keep their hard-fought position as leader of the pack when it comes to banning "news we don't like"...

According to the Inquirer in a report entitled Malaysia stops sale of news magazines for terror reports "...Malaysia has admitted blocking the distribution of several news magazines because it is upset about their coverage of issues including Islam and terrorism.

The magazines - Newsweek, Time and the Far Eastern Economic Review - had been withheld for "inaccurate and untrue reporting of the situation in Malaysia," Deputy Home Minister Chor Chee Heung told The Star newspaper..."

There is some disquiet in Malaysian political circles that Malaysia is getting the raw prawn in reports on terror, and building an unwarranted image as a favoured hang-out for terrorists. That's nothing new of course. PM Mahathir has been warning of it in his domestic communications for many years, far before it became the "flavour of the month" after September 11th. This time however, the messenger comes from the wrong side of the fence and the delivery is not as controlled as if was an "internal communication".

Malaysia has a sensitive ego as far as reports on itself are concerned. Indeed, analysis are often seen as personal attacks with some "hidden agenda". They need not be as sensitive. Malaysians are far beyong the nanny hand-holding approach of this maternal government and are surely at the point where they can make up their own minds on what is "true" or not.

Still, we guess for a small country.. any publicity is good publicity...