The Ministry of Information has called on the Interim Press Council to deal with Sun Rays Weekly News Journal which the ministry alleges is still publishing “unethical” material in the form of personal attacks aimed at discrediting the government.

A letter published on the ministry’s website on Thursday, addressed to the press council, claimed articles in the journal – a reincarnation of the controversial and recently disbanded Sunlight Weekly News Journal – should be regarded as “unethical”, “yellow journalism” and “hate speech”. It urged the press council to take the necessary action.

Kyaw Min Swe, the secretary of the Interim Press Council, said the council was previously approached by the ministry to talk to several journals which promoted gambling and published fleshy photos of female models. However, he said, they had still not yet decided what to do with the Sun Rays Weekly and said the council had yet to receive a formal letter of complaint.

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“In my personal opinion, there are many journals that are connected with cronies and government officials – some of them are published by the children of senior officials – and they have neither an understanding about the press nor the intention to serve the best interests of the country through news media,” he said. “They mainly use it to attack their business and power rivals.

“Moreover, they give the impression that the Burmese press are undisciplined, and are not yet ready for media freedom,” he said.