The Editorial Board of Aliran Monthly (AM) apologises to all its subscribers and readers for the delay in getting out the September issue of the AM. The fact of the matter is that this issue was ready for publication almost a month ago, about the time it was first announced in Court that Anwar had allegedly been poisoned.

However, we were unable to find a printer in Penang prepared to print the AM.

Indeed, if you look at the previous issues of the AM you will discover that we have had to use four different printers over the past seven months.

It is well known among the printing circles in Penang that Aliran is an excellent paymaster. In contrast to many others, we pay our printers promptly, usually within one month. And since we publish eleven issues a year, the annual contract with Aliran is worth more than RM100, 000. The economic slowdown has not affected this business. Yet many are reluctant to do business with us. Why?

Simply put, our printers, one after another, were pressured to stop printing the AM. More than that, other Penang printers whom we approached also informed us that they had been contacted by 'certain people' not to print the AM.

Unfortunately, none of our four previous printers nor the other printers who reluctantly rejected our business are prepared to go on record on the matter. They fear even more pressure and feel that their businesses will be affected.

We are very grateful to the hundreds of our anxious readers who have been ringing us daily to enquire about the September issue of the AM. We appeal to you to bear with us - the problem is simply beyond us.

It doesn't make any sense giving us the permit to publish when the printers are apparently put in fear of losing their licences should they undertake to print the AM. But then, this is the status of our democracy - a hypocritical notion of being democratic.

This is why the Printing Presses and Publications Act must go. It discourages honest reporting, it prevents investigative journalism, it stifles dissent, it retards the growth of a free and just society.