Wednesday, May 23, 2007

Zam on AKJ and I

Don't follow them. The Info Minister, Zainuddin Maidin, yesterday spoke out against journalists "yang dah berhenti dan diberhentikan, like Kadir and Rocky" who made use of their following when they were journalists for the benefit of their blogs.
Why he saw that as wrong beats me. Journalists do all sorts of things when they quit or are forced to quit their jobs. Some do well and some don't. In Zam's own case, he entered politics and is today a full Cabinet minister. Whether he is a good minister or a poor one has little to do with how he was as a journalist. But he's proven that it's a quick route to being conferred the Tokoh Wartawan Negara award, whether or not he deserved it.

As reported by The Star here, the minister also spoke on how very few people read socio-political blogs in this country. Only urbanites get to read my blog so unless I can reach out to the rural and kampung people, he thought I really shouldn't bother.
If that is so, why the blogosfear, then?
[Read on at Screenshots and SK Thew's blog].

30 comments:

  1. Anonymous1:11 pm

    zam, menteri gila publisiti yang menampakkan kedunguannya lagi.

    mamat ni sanggup buat press release sendiri untuk tonjolkan diri. yang jadi mangsa utusan malaysia dan bernama... terpaksa keluarkan press statement oleh menteri gila glamour nih

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  2. Bro,
    I'm not quite sure whether he actually spoke "against" you or Datuk AKJ. When he mentioned your name and AKJ's, I thought he was being rather complimentary. He acknowledged your and AKJ's influence and credibility because you were former journalists trained to be ethical and responsible when writing. It's bloggers who've had no journalistic training that he's more worried and concerned about, thus his recent suggestion to classify "professional" (read ethical) and "non-professional" bloggers. Anyway, I could be wrong, although I was there at the event where he spoke during lunch. But then again, dia lari topic several times when he spoke, so....
    I did not hear what he said to the reporters later, when they ambushed him as he was elaving the venue.

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  3. i think they all should be more worried about MPs making stupid and offensive remarks in the Dewan Eakyat an Cabinet Ministers making sexist remarks.
    What is it that they have against bloggers? that people read too much stuff eritten by bloggers or that people don't read blogs?
    Anyway, I would like to thank ZAm, Shaziman, Muhd Taib, FAK etc, for drawing attention to blogs an blogosphere and helping to stimulate public interest and curiosity.
    Rocky, kita semua kenal Zam. Amat kenal dengan beliau.

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  4. Sdr Rocky,

    Reaksi awal saya setelah membaca The Star mengenai ulasan Sdr YB Datuk Zainuddin Maidin ialah TERIMA KASIH kerana terus ingat kepada kita.

    Terima kasih kerana terus mempromosi dan mempropagandakan blog and blogger goblok (bodoh) macam kita.

    Rasa-rasanya ada orang yang keliru antara blogger dan goblok.

    Tanpa ingatan tulus ikhlas pembesar negara macam Datuk Zam dan media arus perdana macam The Star dan RTM, pastilah sukar bagi kita mempopularkan saluran baru komunikasi ini.

    Tetapi dengan adanya wartawan-bertukar-menjadi politikus macam Sdr Datuk Zam, carahlah sedikit harapan kita wartawan yang bersara atau yang kena buang ini untuk meneruskan kerjaya (tanpa gaji) kita melalui medium baru ini.

    Tak apalah kalau kita hanya menulis untuk sesama sendiri dan dibaca oleh 20,000 orang sahaja. Saya akan terus menulis walaupun tinggal seorang pembaca sahaja -- iaitu saya sendiri. I am, for whatever it's worth, a scribe.

    Harapan saya, eloklah sekali sekala Sdr YB Datuk Zam melayari Internet dan memasuki laman Technorati untuk mendalami pengetahuan mengenai dunia blog dan blogger yang goblok macam kita.

    Terima kasih.

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  5. Anonymous2:51 pm

    Zam did everything he could against bloggers. Having failed in all his efforts (I think I can safely conclude thus), he now says that very few people read blogs. That is a strong sign of insecurity, that he is trying to convince himself more than anyone else.

    I think Zam is jealous of you, Rocky! It's that obvious, don't you think?

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  6. Rocky!

    This Zam is one smart guy, he is secretly supporting bloggers in a round about way so that he will not be seen as supporting bloggers, give him a break as he was asked by his boss to "tackle" the problem! I tell you this Zam is not as stupid as he looks I also know him very well, sometimes he pretends to behave like a moron, like that Shaziman who also pretends to be a moron but deep inside they are supporting bloggers! It is not an easy job. Once upon a time together with Utusan chief reporter Rozaid, I was told, and when the Sultan of Johor wanted to slap his face over an animal story, and he played dumb, but I was told the Sultan only pressed his big ring on his face leaving a mark! His crime was for straight reporting! But he is not as dumb as he looks just playing dumb! Rocky he is our "dumb" friend leave him be!

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  7. Anonymous3:33 pm

    Bro,
    You said "If that is so, why the blogosfear, then?"

    The number of Internet users in Malaysia is growing daily. In Oct 2006, it was estimated 13,528,200 users with a penetration rate of 47.8%. (ref: Internet World Stats). Now will be more brother. Mestilah rasa more blogosfear.
    With more blunder they made about bloggers, public will be more aware about blogs.Tat's gud bro.

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  8. Screenshots also wrote about morons and oxymorons...

    As I remember it, oxymoron does not mean 'stupid cow', but here perhaps it does.

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  9. Anonymous4:02 pm

    Mr Zam, I only started reading blogsites in the middle of last year - socio-political blogsite that is.
    I was introduced to rockybru's site by the man himself.
    Mr zam , please respect my intellgence and independant mind. It is my choice to continue reading RB's site if i chose to.

    I used to faithfully buy and read the papers . My daily routine is never complete in the morning without my daily ritual of going through the print media.Over the last few years i have had that sneaky feeling of the negativity that exists and developing. I had nowhere to go to satisfy my suspicions---and i terminated my subscrption even before i started reading rocky's and now many other's blogsite (BUT i alway practce my critical choice from the respectable to the rubbish)

    In short---it IS my choice and prerogative to follow whichever blogsite to read.

    Nobody is permanent or indispensable in any job or posts----and that refers to you as well Zam. I think most of us know how hard you are tryig to please your Masters the last few months ---but please do it on your merit, NOT at the expense of others. Who knows when you get kicked out of your job you will be doing exactly what you are condemnng others of doing now.

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  10. You're shitting me, Rocky. The minister is a receipient of the Tokoh Wartawan Negara?

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  11. Anonymous4:13 pm

    Kawan bersetuju dengan Dato' AKJ. Kalau benar Menteri merasakan warga sosio-politik blog dalam keseluruhan pelayar bloggosfera Malaysia ini begitu insignifikan, maka beliau atau mana mana anggota Kerajaan, termasuk Menteri/Timb Menteri KETAK, MOSTI dan /atau KDN tidak perlu rasa tercabar dan pedulikan satu golongan penulis yang sering dikatakan sebagai "pembohong" ini.

    20 ribu dari 11 juta HANYALAH kurang dari 0.18%.

    Kawan juga menyeru Menteri dan rakan Kabinet MOSTI, KETAK dan KDN agar tidak lagi menghiraukan 'nyamuk' kerana penulis penulis nyamuk ini tidak setaraf perhatian Menteri dan segala rakan Kabinet.

    Kawan akan terus membaca penulisan Dato' dan Rocky selagi ada akses kepada internet walaupun Dato' dan Rocky merasakan hanya seorang sahaja yang membaca tulisan tulisan dan percambahan minda kedalam medium elektronik ini.

    Ini tahun ke sembilan Kawan terlibat secara langsung dalam senario e-politik Malaysia ini, bermula Malaysian Soc Culture pada tahun 1998 lagi. Mungkin semasa itu Dato' dan Rocky (masih dalam nikmat buaian NST) tidak memperdulikan media elektronik internet ini.

    Namun begitu, Kawan merasa amat senang orang seperti Dato dan Rocky masih lagi menulis melalui medium bloggosfera ini pula.

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  12. Dear Rocky,

    I an avid follower of your site and do keep up the good work! The following is my comment on good old Zam from my blog http://malaysia-muse.blogspot.com. Do hope you publish my comments. kind regards Sree

    -----------------------------------

    Malaysia's Information Minister Zainuddin Maidin is increasingly showing himself to be irrelevant. His self-proclaimed credentials as a journalist committed to his craft, has been debunked a long time ago. Even the mainstream newspapers are fast losing patience with this dinosaur. It is a wonder that he is still in the limelight, hogging precious newspaper space, to spew his dribble against anyone who dares to have an alternative point from the offical government line.

    Just weeks after raising the alarm that bloggers are doing immeasurable damage to the nation's unity, Zainuddin now says that political bloggers only make up 20,000 of the 11 million Internet users in the country, and hence only a few people read blogs. Then why is he worried? Why the contradictory stance? Why is UMNO anxious about sites like Malaysiakini, Malaysia-Today, Screenshots? Malaysia-Today claims it gets daily hits of more than 2 million. I am sure that type of figure drowns out any imaginary numbers his TV stations can muster.

    China, the rising world power, has been unable to effectively filter the Internet. Zam, as he is more inclined to be called, thinks he can - by shouting threats at an increasingly sophisticated urban populace. He has warned them that their writing is a threat to "national unity". If thinking aloud and producing analysis is a threat to the nation, then one must wonder if he is really talking about bloggers being a threat to UMNO. His McCarthystic behaviour in demonising ordinary citizens who happen to have a point of view about Malaysia is truly disturbing.

    Where are we as a nation want to go? Does the government want this country to develop wings and fly or do they want the people to be forever docile, secure in the bosom of UMNO? Even if that means that this country becomes an insecure nation afraid of its own shadows, riven by racial suspicion for eternity?

    What I have read about Zam demonstrated an anachronistic world view which swims in Zam's brain. The sad thing is that he is proud of his world view. I suppose when one is in the throes of power, and wishes to please his master, that's what people do. In any case, such behaviour has proven to be well-rewarding for many Ministers in our nation's esteemed cabinet. But I do hope that the Prime Minister loses patience with this Information Minister and drops him in the next Cabinet reshuffle.

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  13. Anonymous5:04 pm

    jeezzzz, just when i thought i was perfectly an oddball, somebody have to tell me i am of no threat talking to myself ... awwwwwwwww ... tks, doc ... /;p

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  14. Kawe setuju bena denga apo hok bigdogdotcom kato tu. Sebena nyo The Right Honourable Minister tu tok pato' teraso rusing sangak. After all blogs (whether weblogs or goblogs) tu macae nyamok jah eh. Tapi kadae2 nyamok ni celako jugok, kalu dok mari bunying dekak telingo lamo2 buleh buak naik anging jugok. Saloh hari buleh jugok keno malaria kor dengi bedaroh. Tapi sebena nyo ambo setuju bena bahawo Pok Menteri tu sebena nyo tulong demo denga Datuk AKJ bilo dio buak komen. Jadi demo tok payoh dok ambik kiro sangak. Say thank you to the Right Honourable Minister, Bru. As the Information Minister, he's trying his level best to keep you in the news.

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  15. Pak Kadiaq,

    Satu kenyataan yang paling bernas oleh Tokoh Wartawan Negara 2006. Saya amat setuju bahawa pasai pa kerajaan nak risau sangat, sebab jumlah orang yang baca blog ni hanyalah 20K. Orang Aloq Setaq kata dak la ramai sangat!

    Lagu tu kalu tak payah la nak risau dan saya berpendapat kenyataan menteri tidak langsung menampakkan kerisauan beliau, mahupun kerajaan.

    Kalu apa-apapun pengundi di Merbok dan Sungai Petani tak baca blog pa? So, tak gaduh la kan? Yang RPK dok buat kata dia dapat 1.8 juta hits hari-hari tu depa kata dia buat-buat taram saja..betoi la kot, pasai menteri kata dia boleh tau ada 20,000 orang saja yang baca blog.

    Kalu 20K tak la gaduh sangat. Baguih la menteri cakap macam ni, pasai dulu dia nampak macam dok gaduh sangat pasai para pengoblok ni... la ni dah kot bila Jabatan Penerangan kata "Tok...tak ramai orang baca, kalu ramau pun jumlah berganda...jadi, tok sah la dok ragphlah sangat!" Justeru menteri pun dah tak resah gelisah sangatla.

    Tokoh Wartawan Negara...mana bole buat kenyataan sebarangan, kan? Itu title hebat...yang dianugerahkan oleh Institut Akhbar Malaysia di bawah kempimpinan Azman Ujang.

    Kalau tidak silap, Pak Tuan Syed Imran@Kuda Ranggi ada kata anugerah tu diberikan selepas Kementerian Penerangan meluluskan peruntukkan RM 5 juta untuk institusi berkenaan. Mungkin secara kebetulan kot...

    Pak Kadiaq...betoi kata menteri, kot?

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  16. Anonymous7:40 pm

    Bru and fellow posters,

    Where did the whorenorable minister get the figure -- so precise?

    Is the whorenorable minister saying that we are being monitored?

    Or is this another of his temberang?

    I think the whorenorable minister is suffering from gila talak.

    After divorcing journalism for the lucrative politics, the whorenorable minister is missing journalism.

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  17. Yes, Somboon, Zam is keeping us in the news. We hope he continues to be the Information Minister after the Cabinet reshuffle.

    And Wetbenang, yes I was he spoke highly of Kadir and I as journalists. Zam and Kadir were way my seniors in journalism and I had the privilege in the late 80s and early 90s of covering big assignments overseas with them. I was the NSTP correspondent in London when Zam was sent there to live in "exile". We shared many lattes and scenery together.
    But I remain concerned that he does not, or refuses to, understand this new phenomenon called blogging. Zam is like that and many journalists from those days know him.

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  18. patrickteoh said...

    You're shitting me, Rocky. The minister is a receipient of the Tokoh Wartawan Negara?

    No shitting Honda-san, btw, enjoyed your acting in Sumo-Lah

    to datuk AKJ/rocky, kalau hanya ada 20,000 pembaca blog di seluruh negara, count me in pls

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  19. Anonymous9:12 pm

    you were removed and he was made a minister; yet you get more attention and respect than him as an ex-journalist.
    hey, what our zam does in order to get the kind of standing as you do, rocky. i think you have the credentials to tell him why. i better not indulge in this else there may be a slander element here.

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  20. I am very sceptical of the claim journalists are better in ethics than non-journalists. The ones who practise their craft in the finest tradition are too few and far in between. Ethics is a very personal thing.

    One may have all the talents to be a good journalist with pedigree training but without character...?

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  21. Anonymous10:17 pm

    Information Minister aka Tokoh Wartarwan Negara. HAHAHAHAHA
    I suspect he's still using pigeons to send messages!

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  22. We are told we live in a democratic country
    Going to the polls every 4 0r 5 years
    Casting votes to elect MPs
    Like fools they then call us

    In the giddy world of politics
    In it you see the shadows play
    Trapping people with planned wealth
    Dishing out projects to friends and cronies
    Then they tell us we are stupid
    We have no brains to tell right or wrong
    So we elect them to sit in Parliament
    And they say crude jokes
    Belittling the women folks
    And what did the BN government do?
    Let the minister handle it
    Write a sincere apology
    So everything is fine

    But does it really?
    The BN party whip spoke in support
    The buffoon MPs in his rank
    So we are really stupid
    We don’t know what is right and wrong

    Now we have a minister
    One time journalist turned politician
    Expressing his fears about bloggers
    He wants to put them out of space business
    Then he says it is only 20,000
    Out of our working population of 11 million
    So it isn’t that important
    Yet the fear glorifying him
    He forgets his roots as a journalist
    He has no root to withstand the wind
    So he blows his trumpet loud and clear
    Nobody cares what he says
    He is a dinosaur he should retire long ago

    It is our fault we elected these MPs
    They make stupid decisions for us
    Like a paid piper blowing his flute
    We stand there looking like fools

    So the next general election
    We better do our homework
    Make the right choices
    Or else we are so stupid
    In this democratic process

    23/5/07 10.44pm

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  23. Do carrier-pigeons have USB 2.0 slots?

    And I'm not referring to the feathered kind.

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  24. The more the baboon speaks, the better it is for bloggers ...

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  25. Anonymous7:42 am

    When there is freedom of press and journalist are free and responsible in a country, there will be great governance by the govt due to check and balance.Maybe that is why BN is worried about as they don't want to be controlled or answerable too much on their actions and they can't be seen to be wrong as they are perfect and godsend for Malaysia.

    Keep up the great work bro. You will never give up I know and we will support the truth and we know who the actual liars are.

    God bless.

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  26. SDr blackdogdotcom, zukri, cre8tif dan rakan-rakan pembahas,

    Tak apalah kalau pembesar negara macam Datuk Zam hendak terus perkecil, hina, sindir dan ancam kita.

    Bagi saya, kalau mereka tak baca blog kerana tidak percaya, tidak ada waktu atau tidak arif menggunakan komputer pun tak apa.

    Yang penting ialah mereka terus menggunakan jentera maklumat dan propaganda mereka yang hebat itu untuk memaklumkan khalayak mengenai kewujudan kita.

    Secara peribadi, saya tidak pernah menolak teknologi. Sejak menjadi wartawan pada tahun 1969, saya telah melalui dan memanfaatkan pelbagai teknologi telekomunikasi dan maklumat daripada mesin taip manual, kepada elektrik dan kini komputer. Dari telefon awam, kepada telefon bimbit 450 kepada telefon cellular dan blackberry.

    Pada setiap peringkat kemajuan teknologi ini saya mendapati kreativiti dan produktiviti saya bertambah. Ambil contoh blogging, saya boleh menampalkan posting saya dan melayan komen pembaca di mana saja di dunia asalkan ada talian telefon atau signal wireless.

    Tapi banyak juga wartawan dan penulis veteran yang enggan menggunakan teknologi selain mesin taip manual.

    Terima kasih.

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  27. Anonymous4:56 pm

    ....ahhh yes, i forgot Zam also said "ve av vays of kontrolling all you bloggers.....ve havent done it yet but ve and da police know how to do it." or something like that, i could be wrong - the brain melts after being "leter" ed for one hour.

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  28. Anonymous1:33 pm

    Sdra,

    Saya tulis dalam Melayu boleh? Bukan apa, saya harap ada orang buat printout dan bagi pada Menteri Zam. Saya khuatir Zam tak berapa cekap berbahasa Inggeris. Jadi elok tulis dalam bahasa yang dia faham. Dia ni dulu ketua pengarang Utusan tapi tulisan dia terok! Kawan2 di Utusan bagi tau memang dia menulis ikut cara lama. Jadi tak hebat manapun. Dato Johan Jaafar dan Dato Khalid Muhd menulis jauh lebih baik dari dia ni..

    Orang macam Zam takut dengan bayang2 wartawan. Hanya wartawan yg kenal wartawan. Jadi Zam tahu yang kredibilitinya rendah tetapi memang pakar dalam bidang bodek-membodek. Sdra Rocky mungkin tak tahu, tapi Zam jadi Menteri fasal dia tak cerdik. Bayangkan bagaimana dia kawal RTM sehingga berita dia pun boleh jadi Top Story! Dulu, bila dia jadi pengarang, dia pernah sarankan supaya stesen kerajaan macam RTM jangan terlalu menonjolkan menteri supaya penonton tak muak dan meluat! Tapi sekarang apa dah jadi? Dia dah terbalik brother! Dia tak beza dengan ramai pembesar negara yang cakap tak serupa bikin!

    Zam ni dah lupa daratan, lupa asal usul, lupa prinsip dan lupa pegangan! Sepatutnya, MPI di bawah Dato Azman ujang fikir masak2 sebelum bagi anugerah pada Zam. Mengapa tak bagi anugerah tu pada Said Zahari, Tan Sri Melan Abdullah (Arwah), Dato Ahmad Merican dan sebagainya? Azman sekarang dah jadi GM Bernama. Dia patut lepaskan jawatan pengerusi MPI dan bagi pada Sdra Yong, penggantinya di Bernama.

    Apapun, Zam selalu cakap yang dia berjiwa wartawan walaupun bukan lagi wartawan. Sudahlah! Zam lidah bercabang.

    Di bawah ini saya turunkan gurimdam buat Zam.

    Siakap senohong,
    gelama ikan duri,
    bercakap bohong,
    lama2 jadi menteri!

    nasi lemak buah bidara,
    daun ketupat saya lurutkan,
    tinggallah emak tinggallah saudara,
    kerana pangkat saya turutkan!

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  29. Anonymous9:43 pm

    Mr Rocky,

    I ni anak Utusan. Lama juga bekerja dengan Utusan. Rakan sepejabat yang pernah bekerja zaman Dato Zam dulu banyak bercerita tentang dia. Tapi, kami sebenarnya malu dengan apa yg beliau buat sekarang. Kalau dulu dia hebat meminta kebebasan akhbar dan kebebasan bersuara, kini dialah orang yang kuat menindas apa juga tindakan puak2 yang memperjuangkan kebebasan tersebut. Dato Zam patut cermin diri dia puas2. Di mana sebenarnya pendirian Dato yang pernah mendidik anak2 buah supaya jangan takut mengkeritik, baiki penulisan, buktikan kemampuan dan hormat kepada pemimpin. Dato Kadir dan Mr Rocky adalah wartawan sejati, Dato Zam tak lebih dari 'a has been' yang dengki dan iri hati. Saya malu dengan kenyatan dan tindak tanduknya!

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  30. Anonymous3:17 am

    Bro

    Teruskan perjuangan pena. Saya dari luar negara ini setiap hari melayari blog blog dan juga akhbar negara untuk membandingkan yang mana fakta dan yang mana fitnah. Jangan risau ramai golongan yang baca blog ni dan cuma malas nak bising bising. Tunggulah satu masa nanti bila meletup barulah menteri tu tahu tinggi rendahnya. Hidup Blogger.

    Eropah

    ReplyDelete