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Of press prostitutes and cowed media

Comment
by Thomas Lee Seng Hock

Perhaps the most despicable matter that has come out of the great debate between DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng and MCA president Chua Soi Lek on Saturday 18 February 2012 is the contemptible lie by a mercenary spin writer of a mainstream English daily that Guan Eng demanded another debate presumably to repair damaged over his scarred image for losing to Soi Lek.

The claim by such a contemptuous writer is certainly deliberately made to run down Guan Eng and present him in bad light among the general public, since it has been known, and even agreed to by Soi Lek a few days prior to the great debate, that Guan Eng wanted a second round to be held for the benefit of the non-Mandarin speaking public since the first debate was in Mandarin.

Furthermore, the paper this mercenary writer writes for has acknowledged and published a brief admission of its error in reporting a statement attributed to Guan Eng that claimed he said “We do not agree the prime minister must always be a Malay because we want the people to decide.” Yet, he repeated the erroneous statement in his comment, either deliberately to perpetually spread the lie, or is an ignorant fool who doesn’t know what is really happening.

The National Union of Journalists (NUJ) has expressed indignation at DAP national election publicity bureau chief Hew Kuan Yau for likening journalists to prostitutes, and demanded that he apologise for the derogatory comment.

Although, I understand the NUJ feeling on the matter, I cannot help but have to agree with Hew’s statement that there are journalists who will sell their principles and souls for material gains. The above mercenary spin writer is a good example. Continue reading “Of press prostitutes and cowed media”

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Seeking lessons from the star-studded debate

By Dr Mustafa K. Anuar | February 20, 2012
The Malaysian Insider

FEB 20 — Saturday’s much-hyped debate, “Chinese at a crossroads: Is the two-party system becoming a two-race system?”, between Democratic Action Party (DAP) Secretary-General (and also Penang Chief Minister) Lim Guan Eng and Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA) President Dr Chua Soi Lek captured the attention and imagination of many concerned Malaysians and predictably made it to the front page of the MCA-owned Sunday Star.

Starting from the front-page story, headlined “Raising the bar”, the Sunday paper took the readers through to the inside pages, particularly pages 6, 8, 10 and 12, with everything that to do with the debate.

This ranged from news reports to interviews with individuals who had intensely watched the debate to commentaries by the paper’s usual columnists. The common thread that tied these items together was generally a positive slant towards the MCA president, i.e. the purported protagonist, which is really not news at all to mainstream media-weary Malaysians.
Continue reading “Seeking lessons from the star-studded debate”

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When will Najib go into the den of the extremists to preach the message of moderation – especially Utusan Malaysia and UMNO Supreme Council?

The Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak preached the message of moderation to a Chap Goh Meh celebration at Fo Guang Shah Dong Zen temple in Jenjarom, Selangor on Monday night, invoking the Buddhist teaching of moderation.

Najib said: “Even though we may differ in terms of faith, moderation exists in almost all religions…Moderation points to an understanding of not practicing extreme, fanatical, militant or violent ideology among us.”

He urged all Malaysians to support the concept of transformation and not to let the opportunity to pass to lift the nation to be a fully developed nation by 2020.

I commend Najib for spreading the message of moderation but he should realize that he was speaking to a converted crowd – as the audience in Jenjarom was imbued by the Buddhist teaching of “Middle Way” and/or the Confucianist doctrine of “zhong yong”.

It does not escape notice that although the Prime Minister had been preaching the message of moderation at a few international forums, and hosted an International Conference on the Global Movement of Moderates only last month, extremism and intolerance have been rearing their ugly heads resulting in the worst racial and religious polarization in the country in the first three years of any Malaysian Prime Minister from Tunku Abdul Rahman to Tun Razak, Tun Hussein Onn, Tun Mahathir, Tun Abdullah and now to him.

Najib should continue to preach the message of moderation but it is important that he should not just spread the word to the converted like the Chap Goh Meh celebration at Jenjarom but must take the message to extremist groups and circles who need conversion to the message of moderation the most.

How can Najib expect the bona fides of his message of moderation, though repeated in international conferences or to selected audiences in the country, to be taken seriously if Utusan Malaysia, the official newspaper of his own political party, UMNO, is the daily personification of a shrill, irresponsible, extremist and intolerant Voice both on racial and religious grounds? Continue reading “When will Najib go into the den of the extremists to preach the message of moderation – especially Utusan Malaysia and UMNO Supreme Council?”

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The prostitution of the mainstream media

— Sakmongkol AK47
The Malaysian Insider
Feb 05, 2012

FEB 5 — A few days ago, a friend remarked that he hasn’t read Utusan Malaysia for almost two years. When I asked the reason why, he answered simply by stating Utusan Malaysia has become the extended mouthpiece of Umno and BN. Especially the former. Its editorials are nothing more than patronising dictations by an officious Guru Kanan in charge of discipline. He finds the editorials insulting to the intelligence and nauseatingly overbearing. Who wants to read a paper that says Nik Aziz is delusional, while Dr Mahathir who hasn’t made peace with the new political realities, isn’t?

For substitute he now reads Sinar which has surpassed Utusan in circulation and credibility. I am inclined to believe many others share his revulsion for not only Utusan Malaysia but other members of the mainstream media too. The citadel for the shameless media partisanship has shifted from Jalan Riong to the HQ of Media Prima. Continue reading “The prostitution of the mainstream media”

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Utusan Malaysia or Chua Soi Lek – which of them lied? Answer: Both lied!

Yesterday, when Utusan Malaysia accused DAP of being the world’s most racist political party, I did not know whether to laugh or to cry.

To laugh at the poverty of ideas and bankruptcy of journalistic principles of the Utusan editors or to cry at the lack of loyalty and patriotism of Utusan editors to an united, harmonious and successful multi-racial Malaysia!

What came to me immediately was the Greek saying: “Those whom the Gods wish to destroy they first make mad!”

The Utusan Malaysia charge was so ridiculous that I put the Utusan Malaysia item on my blog in verbatim, to let more people see the depths Utusan had sunk to from its early days when it was a great newspaper.

Only few days earlier, the MCA President Datuk Seri Chua Soi Lek was in his stentorian best, spinning the tune that a vote for DAP is a vote for PAS and a victory for DAP in the next general elections is paving the road for PAS’ “days of glory”.

If Utusan Malaysia is right that DAP is the world’s most racist party, then Chua is wrong. If Chua is right, then Utusan must be wrong.
Continue reading “Utusan Malaysia or Chua Soi Lek – which of them lied? Answer: Both lied!”

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DAP world’s most racist party, says Utusan

By Shazwan Mustafa Kamal
The Malaysian Insider
Jan 29, 2012

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 29 — Utusan Malaysia has accused DAP of being the world’s most racist party following Lim Kit Siang’s recent call for Chinese voters to unite and ensure a change of government.

The DAP parliamentary leader had in a Chinese New Year message said that the Chinese community had managed to attain economic prosperity despite the failings of the Barisan Nasional (BN) federal government, which has been mired in “corruption” and “abuses of power.”

“It is evident that Kit Siang cannot hide DAP’s true agenda in inciting the Chinese community ahead of the 13th general election. It shows the truth that DAP is not only the most racist party in Malaysia, it is the most racist party in the world,” said a Mingguan Malaysia editorial under the Awang Selamat pseudonym.

Lim’s remarks were in response to a statement made by MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek, who had called on Chinese voters not to “experiment” in the next general election, as Barisan Nasional’s leadership has continually allowed the nation to prosper. Continue reading “DAP world’s most racist party, says Utusan”

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Yang Rasis Muhyiddin Yassin dan Awang Selamat

— Hata Wahari
The Malaysian Insider
Jan 29, 2012

29 JAN — Orang Melayu jangan terperangkap dengan pemikiran sempit Timbalan Perdana Menteri dan Utusan Melayu.

Saya terpanggil untuk membuat kenyataan ini berikutan tindakan Timbalan Perdana Menteri, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin mengeluarkan kenyataan bahawa orang Melayu tidak harus terperangkap dengan perangkap DAP sebaliknya perkara yang paling relevan sekarang ialah orang Melayu jangan terperangkap dengan kata-kata Timbalan Perdan Menteri, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.

Pertamanya, saya ingin menegaskan orang Melayu kini semakin terbuka untuk menilai sebuah parti berbilang kaum DAP sebagai sebuah parti yang telus dan ikhlas untuk berjuang untuk kepentingan semua kaum di negara Malaysia yang tercinta.

Keduanya, orang Melayu kini boleh duduk berbincang dengan orang Melayu yang menyertai DAP walaupun mereka dari Umno dan menerima penjelasan dengan baik serta tidak lagi bersikap ingin memusuhi ataupun menghamburkan kata-kata penghinaan.

Ketiganya, orang Melayu kini telah mula menyedari bahawa Umno dan Barisan Nasional (BN) bukan lagi parti yang memperjuangkan kepentingan orang Melayu sebaliknya sebuah parti yang mementingkan kroni serta suku sakat mereka sahaja.

Keempat, orang Melayu kini telah bersedia untuk menongkah arus memastikan kesenimbungan perjuangan pemimpin-pemimpin lampau yang mahukan Malaysia menjadi sebuah negara aman, makmur dan bersatu sesuatu yang telah gagal di laksanakan oleh Umno dan Barisan Nasional. Continue reading “Yang Rasis Muhyiddin Yassin dan Awang Selamat”

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NUJ to govt: Don’t muzzle the press

Patrick Lee | January 26, 2012
Free Malaysia Today

Let the media roam free during elections, the National Union of Journalists tells government.

PETALING JAYA: As the general election draws nearer, the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) has demanded that the government let go of its iron grip on the country’s media.

In a letter to Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) on Electoral Reforms chairman Maximus Johnity Ongkili, NUJ general-secretary V Anbalagan listed a number of media-related proposals for the committee to consider.

Anbalagan claimed that these proposals –which included limiting the government’s control over the media – would ultimately create a level playing field for all political parties during the election.

“Journalists are to provide reliable information for everyone to take part in the democratic decision-making process. As such, it is the duty of the journalists to supply all individuals with diverse information for them to make decisions later,” he wrote.

Chief among the proposals was the setting up of a media monitoring committee, formed by the Election Commission (EC). Continue reading “NUJ to govt: Don’t muzzle the press”

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Najib should heed his own call “to make voice of moderation of louder” by declaring transformation of Utusan Malaysia into the Voice of Moderation

“Najib: Make voice of moderation louder” – this is yesterday’s front-page headline of UMNO-owned New Straits Times reporting on the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak opening speech of the inaugural International Conference on Global Movement of Moderates on Tuesday.

Najib should heed his own call “to make voice of moderation louder” by declaring the transformation of the UMNO-owned Utusan Malaysia into the Voice of Reason and Moderation, ceasing henceforth to be the Voice of Enmity, Malice, Unreason and Extremism which had caused the degeneration of Najib’s 33 months as Prime Minister into the country’s most divisive, divided and polarized times both in racial and religious terms as compared to the first 33 months of the country’s first five Prime Ministers – Tunku Abdul Rahman, Tun Razak, Tun Hussein Onn, Tun Mahathir and Tun Abdullah.

If Najib is not prepared to make his “voice of moderation louder” and make a commitment to transform Utusan Malaysia from being the Voice of Extremism to become the Voice of Moderation, then Malaysians are entitled to ask what is the real purpose of the International Conference on Global Movement of Moderates which would have cost the government a fortune to host.

Najib would be guilty of not complying with his own prescription to the International Conference, i.e. that it is time for the masses to stand up and say to the extremists “with a single breath a firm and resounding no” – reducing the whole conference into an international joke and a farce! Continue reading “Najib should heed his own call “to make voice of moderation of louder” by declaring transformation of Utusan Malaysia into the Voice of Moderation”

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Will 1Malaysia TV be the solution or the cause of the “information vacuum” plaguing government credibility?

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak made a very interesting observation when launching 1Malaysia TV yesterday, the existence of an “information vacuum” in Malaysia in the information age with youths turning to alternative online site for news.

But is 1Malaysia TV the solution or it will part of the cause of the “information vacuum” plaguing the government’s credibility?

1Malaysia TV as Internet television is offering inter alia RTM1, RTM2 and TV3, the official channels which evoke intense distrust and low credibility of their information.

Without any change of policy to allow RTM1, RTM 2 and TV3 to be independent, non-partisan and professional tv stations, the primary cause of the “information vacuum” and also why not only youths but Malaysians as a whole are turning to alternative online sites for news and information would not be addressed.

Najib said information on alternative online sites as “sometimes fabricated or untrue”, but these criticisms are equally valid about the official media and now 1Malaysia TV – which is going to repackage the official media on Internet!

Although Najib said that it was essential to provide information to the rakyat rather than to black it out, “as it would only prompt them to seek it from alternative sources”, his administration had been guilty of the “black out” mindset and strategy when confronted with adverse or troublesome developments. Continue reading “Will 1Malaysia TV be the solution or the cause of the “information vacuum” plaguing government credibility?”

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BN-controlled media have degenerated further to become “blackout papers”

For the past three days consecutively, the Barisan Nasiona-controlled media have degenerated further to become “blackout papers”, over three episodes, viz:

Firstly, over the call on Tuesday by 17 international and national environmental groups and activists, including Greenpeace and Swiss-based Bruno Manser Fund, addressed to the Attorney-General, Malaysian Anti-Corruption Agency Chief Commissioner and the Inspector-General of Police for the arrest and criminal prosecution of Sarawak Chief Minister, Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud and his 13 family members for massive graft and plundering of Sarawak’s rich natural resources;

Secondly, the Penang High Court judgment on Wednesday against Utusan Malaysia for defamation against Penang Chief Minister and DAP Secretary-General Lim Guan Eng for its article “Kebiadaban Lim Guan Eng” of 20th December 2010, and the High Court award of RM200,000 for general and aggravated damages and RM25,000 for costs against Utusan; and

Thirdly, the release yesterday of the latest report by Washington-based financial watchdog Global Financial Integrity (GFI) that Malaysia has maintained its position as one of the top five countries in the world suffering the highest illicit capital outflow in the past decade, 2000-2009, involving over RM1 trillion (US$338 billion or RM1,077 billion) as a result of corruption and misgovernance!

Apart from one small inconsequential paragraph about the Utusan judgment, there have been total blackout of these three developments in the Barisan-controlled “mainstream media”. Continue reading “BN-controlled media have degenerated further to become “blackout papers””

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As UMNO President and Prime Minister, will Najib apologise for Utusan Malaysia’s racist and defamatory attacks on Lim Guan Eng and rein in Utusan’s extremist and anti-1Malaysia rampage of lies and falsehoods?

Today there is a complete blackout in Utusan Malaysia of yesterday’s Penang High Court judgment against the UMNO-owned newspaper for defamation against Penang Chief Minister and DAP Secretary-General Lim Guan Eng for its article “Kebiadaban Lim Guan Eng” published on 20th December 2010 and the order by the judge Justice George Varughese that Utusan pay general and aggravated damages of RM200,000 plus costs of RM25,000.

Who would have doubted that it would be front-page headline story in Utusan Malaysia today if Utusan had won the defamation suit against Guan Eng?

Although the Utusan Malaysia’s irresponsible blackout of the Varughese judgment because it was not in its favour is not unexpected, it serves to confirm how irresponsible and trashy a newpaper Utusan Malaysia has become in the past three years.

Isn’t the UMNO President, Datuk Seri Najib Razak to be responsible for how extremist, unprofessional, racist and anti-1Malaysia the UMNO newspaper Utusan Malaysia had degenerated to in the past 32 months since he became UMNO President and Prime Minister in April 2009, coining his “1Malaysia, People First, Performance Now” slogan?

As UMNO President and Prime Minister, will Najib apologise for Utusan Malaysia’s racist and defamatory attack on Lim Guan Eng and rein in Utusan’s extremist and anti-1Malaysia rampage of lies and falsehoods? Continue reading “As UMNO President and Prime Minister, will Najib apologise for Utusan Malaysia’s racist and defamatory attacks on Lim Guan Eng and rein in Utusan’s extremist and anti-1Malaysia rampage of lies and falsehoods?”

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Pressure on Najib to change or be changed, says Time

By Debra Chong
The Malaysian Insider
Oct 06, 2011

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 6 — International weekly Time has likened Datuk Seri Najib Razak to other authoritarian leaders in Southeast Asia and foresees sweeping reforms led by a media-savvy youth will shake up the entire region.

But the magazine said the prime minister has taken heed of the need for change and has begun initiating changes that include the repeal of outdated laws covering security and the media.

“Southeast Asians… know what it’s like to live under authoritarian regimes and rulers. The latter range from brutal autocrats (Burma’s recently-retired General Than Shwe) to self-styled strongmen (Cambodia’s Hun Sen) to leaders who benefit from repressive laws that safeguard the predominance of a single party (Malaysia’s Najib Razak),” the influential news magazine said in its latest issue dated October 1.

It observed too there is a rising number of youths who are social-media-savvy who are is fed up with authoritarian rule and have grown bolder in saying so. Continue reading “Pressure on Najib to change or be changed, says Time”

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Press freedom, a la MCA

by Thomas Lee Seng Hock
COMMENT

MCA president Chua Soi Lek has declared that his party wants the current restrictive and oppressive Printing Presses and Publications Act scrapped, to keep up with the increasing public demands for more openness and freedom of expression.

Chua said at the recently concluded 58th MCA annual general assembly that the aspirations of the new generation of Malaysians for a more liberal and democratic society means that the Barisan Nasional government should be bold and confident enough to dump the intolerable piece of harsh and authoritarian legislation, not just make amendments to it.

“We must work towards abolishing the Printing Presses and Publications Act and set a time frame for that. The government has to be bold and confident enough to take such a step,” he said. Continue reading “Press freedom, a la MCA”

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A vote for Najib is a vote for…

— Tan Teck Huat
The Malaysian Insider
Oct 02, 2011

OCT 2 — … Utusan Malaysia, The Star, News Sraits Times and other propaganda papers.

Today I made the colossal mistake of reading that MCA-owned ragsheet, The Star.

Under the pretence of caring about the future of Malaysia, they went on and on about hudud laws, trying to frighten Malaysians about PAS and Pakatan Rakyat.

But there was nothing in the paper about the theft of native land in Sarawak, about corruption in the country and abuse of power by Barisan Nasional politicians, including those from the MCA.

It is the same with Utusan Malaysia. Continue reading “A vote for Najib is a vote for…”

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Come to the light(-hearted) side

— Yow Hong Chieh
The Malaysian Insider
Oct 01, 2011

OCT 1 — So Jabba the Hutt has struck the first blow against Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s new reform package barely two weeks after it was announced.

Despite promising to give more latitude to the media, his administration’s knee-jerk response to the “Undilah” video has only demonstrated that old habits die hard — if something disagrees with you, ban it.

The issue for me is not whether Pete Teo had intended to draw parallels between Najib and the hermaphroditic mob boss.

Only Teo truly knows the answer to that and, even if the allegation were true, the last time I checked it wasn’t a crime to be a hypocrite (in this case, to be allegedly partisan in what was intended to be a non-partisan project).

The issue is the disproportionate reaction of government to the perceived slight. To think the wheels of our state machinery were put in motion for what is, at worst, a sly but harmless dig at the current administration.

Lighten up, guys. Continue reading “Come to the light(-hearted) side”

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People power for a better media

— Paul Victor
The Malaysian Insider
Sep 25, 2011

SEPT 25 — People power knocked some sense into the mind of Prime Minister Najib Razak, forcing him to set up an election reform panel and announce the abolishment of the ISA and other draconian laws.

There is absolutely no way Najib would have considered change if the people behind Bersih had not stuck to their principles and marched on July 9. A regime based on dictatorial principles and feasting on patronage has little time for reform and change unless forced to do so.

It is the same with the mainstream media, and I single out Utusan Malaysia and The Star for dishonourable mention. They will not be fair-minded or truthful or serve the public interest unless forced to do so. Continue reading “People power for a better media”

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What the changes in the PPPA should mean to journalists

By Edwin Yapp | September 23, 2011
The Malaysian Insider

SEPT 23 — Now that quite a few pundits have weighed in on the prime minister’s Malaysia Day eve announcement, I’d like to put in my two-sen’s worth. I shall leave the broader implications of the security laws aside and being a journalist, I shall just concentrate on one of the announcements made — that of doing away with the annual renewal of licences for media organisations as currently mandated by the Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984 (PPPA).

What this means in practice is that if indeed this amendment gets passed in Parliament, existing print media organisations won’t need to renew their printing and publication permits on a yearly basis.

Like the other announcements that touched on security laws, there was a sense of jubilation when the PM first announced that media organisations need no longer renew their yearly licences.
Continue reading “What the changes in the PPPA should mean to journalists”

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Undilah video taken off-air over Ku Li speech, opposition figures

By Jahabar Sadiq
Editor | September 23, 2011
The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 23 — A video promoting the right to vote has been taken off the air by local broadcasters despite a push for greater democracy because it contains opposition figures and Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah’s speech talking about Malaysia having problems.

The Malaysian Insider learnt that the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) directed local broadcasters this week not to use the public service announcement (PSA) produced by musician Pete Teo just days after its launch on September 16.

“MCMC emailed both Astro and Media Prima Bhd about the issue, telling them the video clip should not be aired because Ku Li speaks about the country having problems and also because it features opposition leaders,” an industry source told The Malaysian Insider, referring to Tengku Razaleigh by his popular nickname.
Continue reading “Undilah video taken off-air over Ku Li speech, opposition figures”

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That bold speech on that historic day

— Sakmongkol AK47
The Malaysian Insider
Sep 19, 2011

SEPT 19 — I am a little late to write on the historic speech of the prime minister. Really, I wanted to offer words of encouragement and support. I am tired to continue criticising the PM, who is, after all, my ketua bahagian.

I was thinking, support and congratulations are in order because the media, led by the overzealous minister of information, have led the public to believe that some real goodies are in order; and after that, the public will offer effusive joyousness in response.

They will, I think, if the subject matter that is going to be announced affects them directly and immediately in a positive way. The response from the public will be lukewarm if the subject matter affects them indirectly and inconsequentially. Let us judge the administration on this score. Continue reading “That bold speech on that historic day”