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Utusan Malaysia does not enjoy legal immunity

By G Vinod | May 13, 2011
Free Malaysia Today

PETALING JAYA: The consensus is that Utusan Malaysia does not and should not enjoy immunity for its irresponsible reporting. Political party leaders feel that what the paper ran could have caused religious discord.

A common stand among the party leaders is that a mere warning to the paper is not enough.

DAP’s assistant national publicity secretary, Teo Nie Ching, said this was because its headline could have triggered a religious discord among Malaysians.

“(Prime Minister) Najib (Tun Razak) should prove to the public that Utusan Malaysia does not enjoy legal immunity for its irresponsible reporting,” Teo said in a statement.
Continue reading “Utusan Malaysia does not enjoy legal immunity”

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Putrajaya directed media to attack ‘Buku Jingga’

By Jimadie Shah Othman | May 13, 11
Malaysiakini

An internal memo leaked from Utusan Malaysia appears to point to the possibility that Putrajaya and Umno have a major say in the daily’s editorial direction.

The internal memo dated March 21, obtained by Malaysiakini, states that the Prime Minister’s Department had issued a special directive to all news organisations to attack two key documents of the opposition coalition Pakatan Rakyat.
The first is Pakatan’s joint policy statement, better known as the Buku Jingga (Orang Book), and a list of immediate reforms it has pledged to implement within 100 days of taking over the federal administration.
Continue reading “Putrajaya directed media to attack ‘Buku Jingga’”

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Christian plot allegation part of larger narrative

By Shahril Hamdan | May 13, 11
MalaysiaKini

The allegation of a plot to make Christianity the official religion in Malaysia is but the latest indication of a burgeoning and malignant Malay ethnic nationalism.

Whilst the anger towards Utusan is, of course, wholly called for, the problem at hand seems to have roots far deeper than the paper’s offensive, communalist and partisan journalism can account for.

I say this because such a preposterous charge could only have been leveled if it finds home in an antagonistic discourse of fear and ontological segregation. That discourse exists in the contemporary Malay discursive networks, and it appears to me to be fairly developed.
Continue reading “Christian plot allegation part of larger narrative”

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An UMNO-owned Newspaper Inflames Malaysia

Asia Sentinel
Written by Our Correspondent | Thursday, 12 May 2011

Utusan Malaysia stirs the racial pot

A week ago, the Malay-language broadsheet Utusan Malaysia printed a story that is sending reverberations throughout an increasingly racially tense Malaysia, to the effect that Christian pastors were seeking to install a Christian prime minister who would change the country’s official religion.

Although the story was ridiculous on the face of it, it has been given wide circulation and drawn considerable comment as well as a series of police reports filed in local stations. Malaysia’s official religion, enshrined in the country’s constitution, is Islam although other religions are guaranteed freedom of existence. Any attempt to change that would probably result in a racial conflagration that no sane individual in Malaysia would want.
Continue reading “An UMNO-owned Newspaper Inflames Malaysia”

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10 days in May (5)

Tweets @limkitsiang:-

Read Utusan print online 2day: triumphalist vindicated FP :”Pemimpin Kristian akur Islam agama Islam”; “Tiada hasrat cabar agama Islam”.

Utusan totally no remorse over seditious/treasonous headline:”Kristian Agama Rasmi?” abt Christian Msia plot.Culprit r Christian not Utusan?

MakkalOsai suspended 1mth; 2-wk suspended ChinaPress Chief editor;4-yr SarawakTribune closure; SinChew reporter detained under ISA 4true rpt

Utusan’s heinous/seditious/treacherous “Christian Msia” headline just reprimand! Where is justice? Fair Play? Completely wrong msg 2Msians

Home Ministry dept heads responsible 4publications shd resign. Hishammuddin not fit 2b Home Minister subordinating national interests 2Umno

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What rubbish is this, Najib?

Jacob Sinnathamby
The Malaysian Insider
May 12, 2011

MAY 12 — Let me understand this correctly. Some discredited blogger put out something incredible about Christian pastors wanting to take over Malaysia and that fountain of all rubbish, Utusan Malaysia, published it.

There is no evidence that any such plan is in the works, and yet today, at the so-called fruitful meeting between Najib Razak and church leaders, the church leaders had to give the when-it-suits-him leader of all Malaysians an assurance that Christians respected the position of Islam in the country and had no desire to dispute it.

How wonderful. The rascals who stirred up this rubbish have not been taken to task but the “victims” have been asked to give some undertaking not to misbehave.

This is akin to your house being robbed and your family harmed but having the police sympathise with the robbers. Continue reading “What rubbish is this, Najib?”

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Utusan let off with ministry warning

The Malaysian Insider | May 12, 2011

KUALA LUMPUR, May 12 — The Home Ministry has slapped Utusan Malaysia with a warning letter for publishing an unsubstantiated front-page article alleging a Christian plot to usurp Islam as the religion of the federation, which sparked a furore among the country’s majority Muslims and minority Christians.

The ministry today issued a statement that the editor-in-chief of the Umno-owned newspaper, Datuk Aziz Ishak, has been invited to the ministry to explain the daily’s violation of the Printing Presses and Publishing Act 1984.

The Malaysian Insider learnt he went to the ministry in Putrajaya at 4pm with another senior editor.
Continue reading “Utusan let off with ministry warning”

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10 days in May (4)

Tweets @limkitsiang:-

Unmitigated 1Msia disaster – only way 2describe outcome of Najib’s meeting w church leaders over Utusan’s outrageous “Christian Msia” lies.

Who in dock of public opinion? Church leaders or Utusan/UMNO? Ch ldrs’ undertakings 2respect Islam’s position/Constitution when not issues?

No word whatsoever from Najib on “mean/fast action” (MohdArshadRaji) agnst Utusan/Umno cyber ringleaders 4Utusan “Christian Msia” outrage?

No wonder in these “10 Days in May” more Msians say: “THOUGHT PAK LAH WAS BAD ENUF. Golly, Najib is annoyingly hopeless!” Real Pathetic.
Continue reading “10 days in May (4)”

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Utusan publishes notice on blogger’s ‘explanation’

Malaysiakini | May 12, 11

Utusan Malaysia, which came under heavy fire over its unsubstantiated report alleging a ‘Christian state’ conspiracy, today carried a notice that Bigdog, the blogger who created the controversy, had published an “explanation” on his blog.

Contrary to the earlier approach of highlighting Bigdog’s allegation at its front page, Utusan only published a two-paragraph notice on an inside page, without reporting the contents of the so-called “explanation”.

“Bigdog, who sparked controversy when he revealed the pledge by pastors during their meeting in Penang recently to make Christianity as the official religion of the federation, has come forward to make an explanation about this issue,” read the notice titled “Bigdog’s explanation”.
Continue reading “Utusan publishes notice on blogger’s ‘explanation’”

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Christian group airs grouses over Utusan report to PM

By S Pathmawathy | May 12, 11
Malaysiakini

Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak today heard complaints from Christian leaders over Utusan Malaysia’s “irresponsible reporting” for claiming that there was a conspiracy to turn Malaysia into a Christian state.

“We only said we are very disturbed and unhappy… (over the) irresponsible, potential riot-type seditious words (which) shouldn’t be published in mainstream media or any media for the matter,” said Bishop Ng Moon Hing of the Christian Federation of Malaysia (CFM).
Ng (right) was speaking to reporters after a 45-minute closed door meeting with the prime minister in Putrajaya.

He said it was a fruitful meeting as this was first time the group had been engaged in this way.
Continue reading “Christian group airs grouses over Utusan report to PM”

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Utusan Malaysia doesn’t speak for Malay majority

By Maclean Patrick | May 12, 2011
Free Malaysia Today

What is the ultimate aim of Utusan Malaysia? Is Utusan Malaysia hell-bent on destroying the peace and harmony with sectarian violence? Or is the newspaper the unpaid spin doctors of corrupt political leaders?

Utusan Malaysia’s reporting, if we can call it that, seems to serve the needs of a few who want to maintain an atmosphere of fear and distrust among the communities living in Malaysia.
The few we are talking about here must be in a position of power. Otherwise, what is the reason for Utusan Malaysia not being reprimanded for its brand of reporting.

Utusan Malaysia is not racist; instead it is propagating an even worse mind-set –xenophobia or an excessive fear of strangers. Is Utusan Malaysia referring to those who are not Malays as strangers?
Continue reading “Utusan Malaysia doesn’t speak for Malay majority”

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Guan Eng to Najib: Replace Utusan editors

By Susan Loone | May 12, 11
Malaysiakini

Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng wants the editors and reporters of Utusan Malaysia involved in the DAP-Christian state conspiracy issue to be replaced.

According to Lim, this is the only way Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak can convince Malaysians that Utusan does not enjoy full legal immunity and that Umno, its largest shareholder, diagrees with the newspaper publishing “dangerous lies.

“Najib Razak can also convince Malaysians by directing Utusan Malaysia to withdraw and apologise for the false report and replacing the editors and reporters involved in such dangerous lies that can burn 1Malaysia,” he added.
Continue reading “Guan Eng to Najib: Replace Utusan editors”

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‘Utusan’ best recruiting agents for Pakatan

By Yin Ee Kiong | 12 May 2011
CPI Asia

First things first: DAP’s ban on Utusan Malaysia is wrong. Wrong because it is hypocritical to damn Umno-BN when they ban certain media from covering party or official functions and now DAP is doing the same thing.

DAP banning Utusan is wrong because it is the right of every paper to attend events so that they can report to their readers. Let the readers decide on the veracity of each report and let the authorities deal with the paper if it has overstepped the mark. Wrong because to call for freedom of the press on the one hand and now to ban a paper on the other all only the party does not like what it’s reporting is an indefensible position to take.

And wrong again to kick up such a ruckus as it did over the Utusan issue. It is enough to refute such false statements. There is no need for the brouhaha because it is in the opposition’s interest that Utusan and their fellow travellers be given enough rope to hang themselves.
Continue reading “‘Utusan’ best recruiting agents for Pakatan”

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Cartoons are no threat to public order, Utusan is

Comments posted by Malaysiakini subscribers

‘Cartoons can cause public disorder? Then what do you call the writings by Utusan and the two pro-Umno bloggers?’

‘Terrible accusations’ in Zunar’s cartoon books

Mt KK: Never in any country have I learnt that cartoon books created public disorder or even banned. Indeed, many people, except Malaysiakini fans, may not have heard or read about Zunar’s cartoons. This ban has made it more popular.

My copy of Zunar’s cartoon book has been circulated to more than two dozens people so far. All enjoy the candid illustrations and not one was agitated enough to cause any disorder. They only felt upset at the ways the Home Ministry arbitrarily took actions and/or made partial decision to go after any matter not in favour of Umno leaders.
Continue reading “Cartoons are no threat to public order, Utusan is”

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Najib not being fair

by Lucius Goon
The Malaysian Insider
May 11, 2011

MAY 11 — How much more humiliation and many more indignities should non-Muslims/non-Malays have to suffer at the hands of the government?

It seems there is no limit. Remember the cow head protests by Umno supporters in Shah Alam and how Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein placated and even sympathised with them?

Heck, he even blamed the Hindus and the Selangor state government for their temerity in wanting to build a temple near a mosque. Talk about consoling the inciters and lecturing the victims.

And now Najib Razak, the PM of all Malaysians is doing the same. Imagine he supposedly calmed down Muslim leaders in the wake of a false report by Muslim bloggers and a Malay newspaper.

The aggrieved party here are Christians and Malaysians who are sick and tired of the divide and rule by Umno and its sycophants.

And yet, here is the prime minister silent on the insidious role played by his party’s bloggers and Utusan Malaysia. Continue reading “Najib not being fair”

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200 NGOs lodge report against Utusan

by Charles Ramendran, Himanshu Bhatt and Bernand Cheah
The Sun

KUALA LUMPUR (May 11, 2011): A coalition of more than 200 NGOs has criticised the editors of Utusan Malaysia for publishing an article taken from two weblogs alleging a group of Christian pastors were conspiring to make Christianity the official religion of the country.

A. Rajaretinam, who heads the coalition called angkatan Angkatan Warga Aman Malaysia (Aman), said the actions of the editors of Utusan were unethical and could trigger grave consequences among the races in the country.

Accompanied by a dozen members including Aman adviser Datuk Thasleem Mohamed Ibrahim and legal adviser A.Sivanesan who is also Sungkai assemblyman, Rajaretinam lodged a police report against the Bahasa Malaysia national daily at 2pm today urging the police and Home Ministry to take stern action.

“What they have done is irresponsible and goes against journalistic ethics. It is malicious and threatens national security. We urge the police to investigate this and the Home Minister to act by suspending the publication of Utusan immediatly pending an investigation.

“We have seen his ministry take action against other newspapers in the past for such mistakes and he should be fair by doing likewise in this case. Utusan has been doing this over and over again and gets away with it. We do not know what is their agenda but they must be punished.” he said. Continue reading “200 NGOs lodge report against Utusan”

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ACT MEAN AND FAST AGAINST UTUSAN MALAYSIA

by Rtd Brig-Gen Mohd Arshad Raji
mind NO EVIL
Tuesday, May 10, 2011

What words can I use to describe Utusan Malaysia’s (UM) recent report that some Christian group is plotting to turn Malaysia into a Christian State? What words can I describe a UM report which says that a Christian group together with the DAP is plotting to appoint a Christian as the Prime Minister? The only words that I can used to describe all this are DISGUSTING, IRRESPONSIBLE, DANGEROUS and a pack of LIES.

How on earth could the editors of the daily approve such a report that is unsubstantiated, and knowing full well that the report can be a cause for serious racial strife between Christians and Muslims of this country. This is not the first time UM has reported on issues that can bring devastation and worse still the disintegration of a well tested multi racial and multi cultural Malaysian society. How could the Home Minister be so lame in not wanting to impose stricter rules to prohibit UM from publishing reports that can bear serious effect on racial harmony? Continue reading “ACT MEAN AND FAST AGAINST UTUSAN MALAYSIA”

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10 days in May (2) (Updated)

Tweets @limkitsiang :-

Najib’s response? Lunch! Not even dinner? Not serious enuf,Mr PM! http://bit.ly/lweDoc PM 2meet church leaders amid Christian Msia row (TMI)

Q is not lunch/dinner but what Najib doing 2penalise/stop Utusan rampage 2undermine race/religious relations n scare off foreign investors

Will Najib come clean tmr n admit Utusan committed heinous anti-national act n explain Umno role as UMNO PolBiro sets weekly Utusan agenda?

Pleasure mine. So refreshing 2hear ppl’s voice “@debslym. thanks 4publishing my post “What this pendatang thinks” ..so humbled honoured”
Continue reading “10 days in May (2) (Updated)”

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Penang seeks Home Ministry sanction on Utusan

By Clara Chooi | May 11, 2011
The Malaysian Insider

GEORGE TOWN, May 11 — The Penang government has filed a formal complaint to the Home Ministry demanding stern action against Utusan Malaysia for its report last week alleging a DAP Christian conspiracy.
Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said this afternoon that the state executive council had unanimously endorsed the complaint following yesterday’s admissions from two Umno state assemblymen that they, too, did not believe the report.

The admissions, said Lim, were made by Teluk Bahang assemblyman Datuk Hilmi Yahya and Pulau Betong assemblyman Muhammad Faris Saad during the state assembly sitting.
Continue reading “Penang seeks Home Ministry sanction on Utusan”

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Utusan Malaysia: Behind the print

By Stephanie Sta Maria | May 11, 2011
Free Malaysia Today

KUALA LUMPUR: Many uncomplimentary descriptions have been accorded to Utusan Malaysia. The more common of those include “irresponsible”, “mischievous ” and “dangerous”. Of that trio, Utusan Malaysia’s former senior journalist, Hata Wahari, says that the third is dead-on.

The mainstream media, for as long as they pander to the government, enjoy immunity from public prosecution. But Utusan Malaysia has earned a special place within this untouchable clique simply by the virtue of being owned by Umno.

This privilege has spawned relentless attacks on the opposition and increasingly frequent inflammatory reports on race and religion. But while most urbanites can see right through Utusan Malaysia’s thinly-veiled propaganda, its rural readership remains staunch believers. For this reason alone, Hata warned that giving Utusan Malaysia the brush-off would be a very bad idea.
Continue reading “Utusan Malaysia: Behind the print”