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10 days in May (updated)

Tweets @limkitsiang :-

10 days in May – 5 days when my dominant left eye went blind/5 days initial recovery after vitrectomy ops. But also 10 “black” days 4Msia

10 days when reputation of leaders crashed/causes destroyed. Eg: Fullpage advert 65th UMNO ann but 1 logo no more 1Msia but 1Melayu. Y?

Is Najib PM of 1Msia or 1Melayu? Is Hisham Home Minister 4Msia or UMNO? 1Msia N H never suffered greater damage 2credibility these 10 days

Christian Msia conspiracy? How ludicrous! Height of irresponsibility not just Utusan but Utusan’s boss- UMNO ie Najib/Hisham who must answer
Continue reading “10 days in May (updated)”

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Media must act responsibly

SPEAK UP! :: theSun Says
Updated: 10:08PM Tue, 10 May 2011

ON MONDAY, Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein stated that “it is important for all media practitioners to understand the sensitivity of issues concerning religion and race” and that “this should be taken into account before reports are published”.

A very commendable statement indeed by someone in charge of national security and public order especially when some alarm bells rang over a newspaper’s front-page report that alleged a group of Christian pastors pledged at a meeting last week to elect a Christian prime minister and to make Christianity the religion of the Federation of Malaysia.

It was an irresponsible piece of writing anywhere in the world but especially more so in multi-religious, multi-cultural and multi-racial Malaysia. It could have sparked some ugly incidents to happen like what happened in the days following the decision by the High Court to allow the word “Allah” to be used in the Malay version of a church newsletter. Continue reading “Media must act responsibly”

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Blogger behind Christian Malaysia report deletes posts?

Syed Jaymal Zahiid | May 10, 2011
Free Malaysia Today

A check by FMT showed all posts on the issue have been removed or deleted from the pro-Umno blog.

KUALA LUMPUR: The blogger responsible for Utusan Malaysia’s Malaysian Christian conspiracy report, marahku.blogspot.com, appeared to have deleted all posts related to the allegation amid escalating racial tension between the country’s Christian and conservative Muslim communities.

A check by FMT showed all posts on the issue have been removed or deleted from the pro-Umno blog just as Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein revealed that nine police reports had been lodged against Utusan and those behind the allegation.

The removal of the postings has triggered questions over the veracity of its allegations as seen on the ongoing debate on the microblogging site Twitter.

Pro-Umno Twitter users were also seen questioning the reasons behind the removal: Continue reading “Blogger behind Christian Malaysia report deletes posts?”

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Prove your mettle, MCLM tells Najib

By Tashny Sukumaran | May 10, 2011
Free Malaysia Today

KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak must prove his mettle as the “leader of 1Malaysia” by speaking out against Utusan Malaysia over its Christian plot report.

In making the call, Malaysian Civil Liberties Movement (MCLM) president Haris Ibrahim also wondered why the authorities were slow in acting against the Umno-owned newspaper.

“Why has there been no action against Utusan under the Sedition Act?

“Is the Umno-led BN government complicit in this attempt to sow racial and religious discord or else powerless to act against an emerging group of fascists?” he asked in a statement.
Continue reading “Prove your mettle, MCLM tells Najib”

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Putrajaya permitting Utusan provocation, says Bar Council

By Debra Chong
The Malaysian Insider
May 09, 2011

KUALA LUMPUR, May 9 — Malaysian Bar president Lim Chee Wee accused Putrajaya today of giving free rein to Utusan Malaysia to publish and promote what he called lies dressed up as news reports and continuing to stir up religious fear and unrest.

The lawyer joined a growing choir in urging the authorities to get their priorities in order and immediately investigate reporters and editors in the Umno-owned daily for repeatedly pushing provocative religious rhetoric rather than hauling up Christian leaders over unproven claims.

The Christian Federation of Malaysia (CFM), which represents over 90 per cent of churches nationwide, have also demanded Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak act immediately against Utusan for false reporting and spreading dangerous lies.

“Instead of questioning Utusan Malaysia’s journalistic conduct and ethics, the immediate responses from the ministers in charge of home affairs and communications were to order investigations into the alleged incidents themselves,” Lim said in a statement.

“In this way, the authorities are gullibly assisting those who seek to play up lies and falsehoods in order to artificially create religious conflict,” he added. Continue reading “Putrajaya permitting Utusan provocation, says Bar Council”

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Christian leaders want PM to act against Utusan

By Debra Chong
May 09, 2011 | The Malaysian Insider

GEORGE TOWN, May 9 — The Christian Federation of Malaysia (CFM) said today it is “aggrieved” that Utusan Malaysia has been allowed to publish and spread what it called “dangerous lies” that have stirred religious unrest, and wants the prime minister to take immediate action against the Umno-owned paper.

In a joint statement with Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, the Christian umbrella body, representing over 90 per cent of churches in the country, said they were concerned that the Malay-language daily has been “spreading dangerous lies that make Christians the object of hate and incite hatred against Christians that may lead to undesirable consequences”.

“We sincerely and strongly urge the prime minister and the home minister to take action against Utusan Malaysia for printing and spreading such dangerous lies that have disturbed the multi-religious harmony of society, created fear and uneasiness amongst Malaysians, especially Christians,” it said.
Continue reading “Christian leaders want PM to act against Utusan”

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IFJ backs Hata’s appeal against Utusan sacking

Jacqueline Park, IFJ
May 6, 11

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) fully supports a senior journalist and union leader in Malaysia who is appealing to Malaysia’s Industrial Relations Department to order his reinstatement at Utusan Malaysia newspaper.

Hata Wahari, president of IFJ affiliate the National Union of Journalists Malaysia (NUJM), was sacked by Utusan Melayu Berhad after it accused him of tarnishing the paper’s image when he publicly expressed concerns about partisan coverage by Utusan.

Hata was dismissed from his position on April 21, after being suspended on January 11. Continue reading “IFJ backs Hata’s appeal against Utusan sacking”

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Jeff Ooi takes ‘Christian conspiracy’ to police

Susan Loone | May 8, 11
Malaysiakini

Jelutong MP Jeff Ooi has lodged a police report against Umno-linked Malay language daily Utusan Malaysia and a blogger BigDog.com, for what he described were “malicious” articles alleging he was involved in a purported Christian conspiracy to change the country’s official religion.

Ooi, who is DAP central executive committee member, wants the police to investigate Utusan over its front page articles on May 7 entitled ‘Kristian Agama Rasmi’ (Christianity the official religion?), ‘Dua halaman blog dedah ikrar paderi seluruh negara’ (Two blogs expose pledge by pastors nationwide), and ‘Jeff Ooi nafi anjur majlis’ (Jeff Ooi denies organising seminar).

On page five, Ooi noted two other articles on the same matter entitled “Malaysia negara Kristian? Dua blog dedah pertemuan paderi bincang agenda jadikan agama rasmi” (Christianity the official religion? Two blogs expose meeting between pastors discussing making Christianity the nation’s official religion).

He also said he wants the police to investigate another blog, called ‘Marahku’, that carried a similar allegation in his blog posting entitled ‘Agong under threat? DAP wants to make Christianity the official religion of Malaysia?’. Continue reading “Jeff Ooi takes ‘Christian conspiracy’ to police”

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What impression have we given to Chinese Premier Wen Jiaboa – a government crazed with sex scandals than with enhancing Malaysia’s multi-racial national unity or international competitiveness?

What impression have we given to Chinese Premier Wen Jiaboa in his short visit to the country?

That we have a government crazed with sex scandals than with enhancing multi-racial national unity or Malaysia’s international competiveness?

The largest English-language circulation newspaper in the country, the MCA-owned Star, put the Carcosa sex scandal on its front page – headlined: “Part 2 out – Another video clip on YouTube, Anwar’s family says it’s not him” while Wen’s historic visit to University of Malaya is relegated to Page 2!

The official visit of the leader of the most important nation in the world also fought a losing battle with “Sex video Part 2 on YouTube” even for front-page mention, whether its News Straits Times, Berita Harian or even the “1Melayu” Utusan Malaysia.

What a national shame and disgrace!

Wen Jiaboa would have been completely horrified if during his short visit to Malaysia, he had sighted the 8pm TV3 Prime News last night, which caused me to post five tweets in 30 minutes after I had been informed by incensed parents who were shocked and surprised by the “transformation” of TV3 into a porn channel: viz:
Continue reading “What impression have we given to Chinese Premier Wen Jiaboa – a government crazed with sex scandals than with enhancing Malaysia’s multi-racial national unity or international competitiveness?”

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1Malaysia.con

Dean Johns | Apr 27, 11
Malaysiakiini

The 1Malaysia Email project is both a symptom and a symbol of the rotten Umno/BN regime. It’s as blatant a con as everything this god-forsaken government says and does, and clearly corrupt into the bargain.

Its pretext of providing “direct and secure communications between the citizens and the government” and a “one-stop centre for government services, providing value-added services such as social networking, checking bills online and payment” sounds as fishy – or, since it is an Internet scam, phishy – as all get-out.

It is clearly intended to provide the government with unchecked power to spam and snoop on Malaysian netizens in the present, and the option of forcing the people to do anything from conducting all their Internet communications and transactions to possibly even voting through this dodgy portal in the future.

This promises to be the final link in the web of deceit that Umno/BN has progressively woven to extend and defend its criminal misrule of the country, and ensnare the populace forever in its net.

And the manner of presenting the thing to the people has been as suspect as the project itself. Continue reading “1Malaysia.con”

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Horrible Disgusting: TV3 Prime News turns porn – will PM stand up for decency?

Tweets

Let every BN Minister DyMin MP SA declare stand -agree w TV3’s disgusting porno? PM Najib – r u going 2draw a line on whats decent or not?

All parents lodge police rpts agnst TV3. Lets have nation-wide campaign 2protect homes/children from such disgusting TV fare/gutter politics

TV3 boss/all responsible 4terrible bad taste violating homes children w such disgusting snippets shd be sacked or InfoMinister Rais shd go

Ord decent Msians feel violated in their very homes w such disgusting TVfare – turning TV3 into pornographic channel. No child safe at home.

Horrible Disgusting Complaints from those who watched 8pm TV3 Prime News which showed latest snippet of so-called Anwar Carcosa sex video.

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Utusan Malaysia is not the Malay voice but the voice of Muhyiddin against Najib

Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin has sprung to the quick defence of Utusan Malaysia, the Umno official organ and the national daily which enjoys “unlawful” immunity and impunity for blatant offences whether against the Printing Presses and Publications Act, the Sedition Act or other laws in the land.

In response to public condemnation of Utusan’s incessant stoking of communal hatred and tensions, the latest being its call for a “1Melayu, 1Bumi” movement, Muhyiddin declared that Utusan Malaysia is the “voice and desire of the Malay community and also Malaysians in general”.

Muhyiddin is a picture of total absurdity in claiming that Utusan Malaysia is the “voice and desire” of Malaysians in general, when it does not even qualify to be the voice of the Malays. Continue reading “Utusan Malaysia is not the Malay voice but the voice of Muhyiddin against Najib”

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Malaysiakini down, hit by cyber attacks

via Malaysiakini Facebook

A cyber attack beginning at 11am today shut down Malaysiakiniservers simultaneously, making the website inaccessible to readers.

The Malaysiakini technical team has determined it to be a denial-of-service attack, where an attacker uses computers in different parts of the world to swarm Malaysiakini servers to the point that they are unable to cope with the massive traffic.

Both our servers, which are hosted at two data centres – TM Brickfields and Jaring – have been affected by the attack.

Malaysiakini has posted all of today’s reports in Facebook. Readers can access Malaysiakini in full via Facebook Notes.

We will soon be making our reports, especially those on the Sarawak election, available on WordPress, Blogspot and other publishing platforms.

Malaysiakini is also working to bring up a new set of servers.

We apologise for the technical problem and we will keep readers informed of developments via Facebook and Twitter.

Malaysiakini alternative sites :

  1. Malaysiakini Facebook Notes

  2. Malaysiakini blogspot

  3. Malaysiakini wordpress

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One Libyan Battle Is Fought in Social and News Media

Middle East
By EMAD MEKAY
The New York Times
February 23, 2011

CAIRO — While Al-Jamahiriya, the Libyan state-owned television channel, was broadcasting nonstop patriotic songs, poetry recitations and rowdy rallies supporting the Libyan leader, Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi, on Tuesday, Al Jazeera, the Arabic satellite channel based in Doha, was showing images of angry Libyan demonstrators throwing shoes at a giant street screen carrying live pictures of Colonel Qaddafi’s speech.

The contrast highlighted a fierce battle between Colonel Qaddafi’s supporters, who were using the state-run news media, and Libyan protesters, who were turning to social media and the foreign news media, to win over hearts and minds, inside and outside Libya.

This tug-of-war has been going on since a public uprising started on Feb. 17 calling for Colonel Qaddafi’s ouster. His rivals have clearly made a global impression through multiple amateur video Web posts, visceral pictures, twitter posts and dozens of heartfelt interviews on Arab television stations telling stories of a ruthless repression unleashed by troops loyal to Colonel Qaddafi.

But the Libyan leader, who has ruled this tribal society unopposed since 1969, has demonstrated that he will not easily be outmaneuvered. His television channels appealed on Tuesday for amateur images showing support from his base and beseeched viewers to place them online, too.

Government channels have run a written appeal: “For the dear brothers whose hobby is photography and video taping, please put up videos online that show the massive support for our beloved leader.”

In Colonel Qaddafi’s all-out media counteroffensive, a sports channel and a music channel that are popular among the young have instead been showing 24-hour programs of poetry reciters eulogizing his achievements and films of pro-government rallies waving his pictures. Continue reading “One Libyan Battle Is Fought in Social and News Media”

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Malaysia’s Sorry Record on Press Freedom

by Malaysia Center for Independent Journalism
Ruling coalition’s ‘multi-pronged approach’ to curb expression

Malaysia’s Barisan Nasional, or national ruling coalition, has gone to extreme ends to control freedom of expression and monopolize the dissemination of information, according to the Kuala Lumpur-based Center for Independent Journalism.

The NGO’s report, released Tuesday, says the Barisan “adopted a multi-pronged approach, using the myriad of laws at its disposal to curb expression. The Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984 was used to intimidate The Star, China Press and Special Weekly, among others.”

A summary of the report, furnished by the center, follows. It is the fourth such report the organization has released.
Continue reading “Malaysia’s Sorry Record on Press Freedom”

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Gordon Brown’s sister-in-law tackles corruption in Borneo

David Cohen
London Evening Standard
22 Feb 2011

In a flat above a restaurant in Covent Garden, an investigative reporter called Clare and a tribesman from Borneo covered in tattoos prepare to transmit their daily revolutionary radio broadcast deep into the Borneo jungle.

They make for an unlikely double act – she is a white, middle-aged Englishwoman, and he the proud grandson of a Dayak headhunter who broadcasts under the pseudonym Papa Orang Utan. Their aim is no less outlandish: to expose the alleged corruption of Taib Mahmud, chief minister of the Malaysian state of Sarawak on the island of Borneo 6,500 miles from London, and bring an end to his 30-year rule.

“This is Radio Free Sarawak,” begins Papa Orang Utan, donning his headphones to interview a village headman who has been forcibly removed from his land and who, quite remarkably, speaks to them on a mobile phone from the edge of the Borneo rainforest. Clare briefs Papa: “Make sure you ask if he knows that it’s chief minister Taib who has stolen their land? And get who he’ll be voting for!”

Until now the identity of the “pirates” behind Radio Free Sarawak has been a closely guarded secret – and for good reason. Scandal-plagued Taib, 74, is one of the world’s most ruthless and wealthiest men – richer allegedly than the Sultan of Brunei, whose independent country lies alongside – and locals who oppose him can feel the full force of his retribution.

But today is a watershed: the duo have bravely decided to out themselves ahead of the upcoming Sarawak elections, expected in April. Indeed, the Evening Standard can reveal that the mystery Englishwoman who set up Radio Free Sarawak four months ago and who brought out the tattooed tribesman – real name Peter John Jaban – to front her broadcasts is in fact Clare Rewcastle Brown, sister-in-law of former prime minister Gordon Brown. Continue reading “Gordon Brown’s sister-in-law tackles corruption in Borneo”

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Who’s off the rails, Bernama?

John Malott | Feb 20, 11
Malaysiakini

Bernama news agency recently commented that I have “gone off the rails” because of my article in the Asian Wall Street Journal.

Because Bernama is owned by the Malaysian government, it is no surprise that they would feel obliged to say something critical.

But who really is off the rails? It is too bad that Bernama went into attack mode before it did its homework. Indeed, the article reads like it was written by a PR firm, trying to spin the truth.

So let’s take a look at what Bernama said. Continue reading “Who’s off the rails, Bernama?”

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Guan Eng blames Umno for ‘misleading booklet’

By Adib Zalkapli
The Malaysian Insider
February 05, 2011

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 5 — Lim Guan Eng denied today that his Penang administration was behind a tourism booklet which Umno claimed has challenged the early existence of the Malays in the island.

The Penang chief minister also demanded that the Pulau Betong assemblyman Muhammad Farid Saad to apologise within a week for blaming the state government had distributed the “My Balik Pulau” booklet.

“To make matter worse, the Pulau Betong assemblyman and Utusan Malaysia through its reports have attacked the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) state government accusing us of publishing material containing historically misleading facts and insulting the Malays when it was Umno and the federal government that should be made responsible,” said Lim in a statement.

In an Utusan Malaysia’s report on February 1, Farid reportedly accused the Penang state government of twisting historical facts in an attempt to mislead the younger generation.

The Malay daily said that the booklet was published by the Penang Arts Education Society and sponsored by the Penang Education Council, which Utusan Malaysia claimed to be an advisory body for the DAP’s state government.
On February 3, the Umno-owned daily carried another report calling the My Balik Pulau booklet as dangerous.

The report quoted Penang campus of Malaysian teachers institute alumni president Abdul Said Hussain who claimed that the booklet was aimed at convincing the Chinese that their ancestors were the first to settle in Balik Pulau and not the Malays.

Lim revealed today that among the sponsors for the tourism booklet were Farid’s resource centre and other Balik Pulau Umno leaders. Continue reading “Guan Eng blames Umno for ‘misleading booklet’”

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MCA continues to tell lies in Tenang by-election through its newspaper Star – but good luck to Chua Soi Lek continuing as MCA President!

Today is polling day for the Tenang by-election, the fourteenth since the 2008 general election.

The outcome of the by-election should be left to the 14,753 voters but it is most regrettable that MCA continues to peddle lies and falsehoods through its newspaper The Star.

In its analysis report today headlined “Up to the voters now to choose who is best”, Sunday Star wrote:

“Never mind that the Barisan Nasional candidate Mohd Azahar Ibrahim is from Umno, it was the MCA that DAP, especially its adviser Lim Kit Siang, was after.

“A political observer viewed the DAP’s all-out effort to attack MCA as mainly an attempt to divert the community’s attention from the various breakthroughs the MCA has achieved since Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek became party president in March last year.

“’A stable and united MCA has always been a threat to DAP,’ reasoned a veteran MCA leader, pointing out that DAP’s survival hinged a lot upon MCA’s weaknesses as both parties banked on the support of the Chinese community.

“The fact that Dr Chua has adopted a low-key and personal touch in his campaign, such as personally meeting Tenang voters, has also put the opposition in a bind, remarked a political observer.

“As expected by many MCA supporters, Kit Siang had, in his ceramah in Tenang, challenged Dr Chua to step down if he failed to get the support of the Chinese community in the by-election.”

I had never in any ceramah in Tenang challenged Chua to step down if he failed to get the support of the Chinese community in the by-election.

Unlike the views of the majority of MCA leaders and delegates, I have no objection whatsoever if Chua continues as MCA President, regardless of the Tenang by-election result today. Good luck to him! Continue reading “MCA continues to tell lies in Tenang by-election through its newspaper Star – but good luck to Chua Soi Lek continuing as MCA President!”