Sunday, March 23, 2008

Azalina's former Ministry to set up blog

Blogger-friendly Ministers. The last time Azalina spoke about blogging, on Feb 22, she was in one foul mood ["Azalina slams bloggers"]. Now that she's been transferred to the Tourism Minister, we don't know what will happen of the Umno cybertrooppers that were under her orders.
In any case, her successor at Youth and Sports Minister, Ismail Sabri Yaacob, is quickly defining himself as a blogger-friendly minister, after Information Minister Shabery Cheek spoke last week of a desire to meet and listen to bloggers. Ismail Sabri's "Ministry to set up blog to be close to youths".


Shabery, who was meeting journalists at the National Press Club last Friday night, had a brief word with me. He repeated what I had read in the papers, about really wanting to meet bloggers. I congratulated the Minister for his forthrightness but also told him that:
"I'm the protem President of the All-Blogs, yes, but I don't control the bloggers."

I gave TV9 an interview last night on the subject (Haris Ibrahim, Melvin Mah and Anu aka Galadriel also spoke to the reporter).
I also spoke to AFP on the phone on the same issue, in which I said: "We welcome the government's move to engage bloggers but we are not in a hurry to meet them." Read the whole AFP story HERE.

39 comments:

  1. Anonymous6:53 pm

    You took the words right out of my mouth, bro.

    i shall monitor the minister's sincerity.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Intresting...intresting....
    every minister start to blog now...

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anonymous7:07 pm

    They are giving out some sweets to lure some bloggers into a trap. BEWARE, thats all I can said now. Just becareful when dealing with them as we will never know their motive.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Anonymous7:42 pm

    Alternative media and blogs = fifth column...

    Time to woo them

    ReplyDelete
  5. A few things to ponder, as soon as I read the news, I immediately loaded the Kementerian Belia & Sukan Web, from what I see, it's only sweet talk.... I also noticed that their link to English section is a dead link. Furthermore, looking at their main page, they don have much for the public to interact. And last thing is that they don even have a 'forums' to receive feedbacks or discussions on youth problems and issues.

    Such basics were no setup and they want to do something like blogging and youtube? hmmmm I think those ppl up there making decisions need some serious crush course on IT and Internet!! LMAO!!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Wah Rocky...jaga2...esok lusa dapat datukship...habisssssss......

    ReplyDelete
  7. Anonymous7:53 pm

    Youths? they still dunno what the heck hit them lah...

    ReplyDelete
  8. Rocky, I met with Pak Lah this Sunday morning at his home in Putra Jaya. Just to say hello to a close friend in time of need. I work with him in the early seventies in the Youth Division of the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports.

    Among other things I told him that the President of Indonesia recognized blogger and that the Indonesian now have a Blogger day. He says that his government is going to get close to blogsphere.
    Well all of a sudden everyone in the government are interested in blogsphere. Good for blogger and surely good for Malaysia.

    As for us bloggers, the pioneer of citizen journalism in this country, we should go on and blog just like we had done before.

    Have a nice day.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Anonymous8:34 pm

    Sometimes my bad makes me think that somebody/some organisation have sent Pak Lah to sabotage BN & Malaysia.

    How can Pak Lah be this bad??? He was in UMNo/BN since forever.

    He's the PM with the most of everything:
    1. Sleep
    2. Parties/Happy Hour
    3. Oversea trips
    4. Lost of seats in GE
    5. Objection from state rulers
    6. MIA (Missing In Action)
    7. Silence
    8. Tribunals
    9. Mumbling
    10... I am losing counts...

    Go figure yourself, people.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Anonymous8:40 pm

    as for that Cheeky guy.. he doesn't have to meet blogger... just ask artiyem to give fair and just report on everything... then.. who needs blog after that...

    we then can blog on our ordinary life, no need to curse people, swear on somebody, talk dirty and such... hahah...

    ReplyDelete
  11. Anonymous8:42 pm

    The mainstream media BN already control, now blog also they want to control..habis la. Repeal the Printing Press Act!! Implement Freedom of Information Act NOW!!!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Anonymous9:39 pm

    Aiyo can ask them to forget about it, blog like Shahrir Samad's only update twice a year either he is in trouble or it is election. This BN guys are never serious.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Sdr Rocky's Bru,

    It may not be appropriate to compare Ismail Sabri Yaacob to Azalina.

    Ismail realises the importance of blogs to young people because he's a married person and a father.

    You have to be married and have children to realise the many important things in life like raising children and understanding their needs.

    Of course you have to be open-minded and computer literate.

    Shabery Chik and Ismail are computer literate.

    I can't say the same about some ministers and ex-ministers. That's why they hate bloggers.

    Thank you.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Anonymous9:52 pm

    Good for you Pak Idrus, I hope he served you tea that we the taxpayers paid for.

    I hope he wasted enough of his time that we the taxpayers paid.

    If you believe this man you believe every medicine man in Chow Kit. Come on Pak Idrus, what are you trying to sell to us?

    Pak Lah wanted to be close to bloggers? Sound like if I can I will close down and arrest the bloggers.

    This man speaks with many toungues. He does not even know what he's talking about.

    Don't was our time and spare Pak Idrus.

    Budak Muda

    ReplyDelete
  15. Anonymous9:57 pm

    How about this - NGOs in Perak concerned about fate of Malays in the state?

    Looks like race-based politics is alive and well post-elections!

    I still don't understand, despite having Malay friends, why some Malays are so downright scared of competition, openness, transparency and meritocracy.

    I don't see a Microsoft or an IBM or an ExxonMobil or a Shell giving in to the notion that employment in their Malaysian operations should be based on racial quotas and formulas.

    Looks as though Muhyiddin has his work cut out for him in his new portfolio - he has to convince his fellow-Malays that MNCs are not sympathetic to the idea of quotas or affirmative action Malaysian-style.

    And that's a fact of life that these NGOs either don't, or wilfully won't, understand.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Anonymous10:12 pm

    dear rocky,
    jed yoong (remember her?) is dying for attention in her blog jedyoong.wordpress.com. i know you don't go to her blog (after she vanished with the money, stabbed your back, etc) but she is bitching about you speaking on behalf of bloggers.
    the following are comments i left on her blog. don't think she would publish it.

    ----------------------++-----------

    who this jed yoong, you are the one who helped organise BUM 2007, right? and you disappeared with the organisers' money and only gave it back when they threatened to lodge a police report, right. hahaha .. don't forget, a lot of bloggers know who you really are. (this year's BUM is coming but of course they've bummed you out, given your record)

    and jed yoong, you claimed your car got stolen right? this was around ijok by-election or was it the by election before that. and you were mugged or something and these all blogs people passed the hat around. poor jed, lost her car and she got mugged. hehehe .. don't forget jed ...

    and jed yoong, didn't you ask rocky to help you out with the DAP newsletter? him being the ex-editor and superb journalist. until the DAP got sick and tired of you because of what you wrote in your blog, remember? the DAP didn't know you were put there by Wong Chun Wai to create havoc. hohoho, jed, jed.

    i've got a few more, jed. but i think i'll write in rocky's bru comment section. his traffic so banyak, so more readers ma ... hihihi. jed, jed, get a life, don't be so jaded and don't hate everyone who's better than you .. jed, jed.

    when's your birthday jed? i think zorro wants to buy a bottle of wine for you, just like last year. before you ran off with the BUM money, that is.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Anonymous10:43 pm

    wowwwwww!

    here comes the Monkey Girl.

    what is happening lah?

    ReplyDelete
  18. Rocky,
    I do not know who this Pak Idrus is but I check he was no where near the compound of Sri Perdana on Sunday, "no way" said my contact Pak Lah was so busy that day he only saw politicians, namely from Terengganu and I know where he was the whole day. THis guy to quote my contact likes to drop name! Just to let you know!I hate braggart!

    ReplyDelete
  19. Anonymous12:05 am

    Boycott MSM??? Just for a day...http://ujeantology.wordpress.com/2008/03/23/1st-april-boycott-malaysian-media-day/

    ReplyDelete
  20. These govt sanctioned & sponsored blogs will fail.

    The whole idea is to provide an alternative view to the establishment's saturation coverage through its virtual monopoly of the mass media that will not entertain protests and concerns by ordinary citizens.

    If someone posts a OSA document or anti-govt sentiments on Govt blogsite, you can bet your bottom $ they will censor it. So, what would be the point of it all?

    So, as usual this class of Umnoputras don't know which aperture they are talking through! But for sure, a lot of money will be poured down the drain in setting up a state-of-the-art website, which the taxpayer will have paid for!!?? Sigh!

    ReplyDelete
  21. Anonymous12:32 am

    bummer,

    jed yoong is a sicko.

    there is something seriously wrong with her. mentally.

    i'd say she is dengki and hati busuk.

    she was the one who sought the bloggers out. One day, she CAME to meet bloggers - rocky. zorro, nuraina, tony, shar, bigdog, among others- at the National Press Club.

    To them she was a blog sister..she came several times to the NPC and she seemed nice and "normal".
    they embraced her. treated her well with respect, as they would anyone.

    on her birthday, zorro bought her a bottle of wine and nuraina bought her a lovely chocolate.

    Zorro and gang "hosted" a birthday party for her at the NPC.

    during the Ijok by-election. she reported to the bloggers that her car was stolen..everyone was so sad for her...cheered her up.. i think BigDOg (the pro-Umno blogger) sent her home on several occasions. to make sure she was safely sent home.

    they thought it was great that the (bloggers) were diverse in their beliefs -- pro-Umno, DAP supporter (JedYoong) and the rest who were supporting this and rabidly criticising that-- could sit and discuss politics.

    and then, as suddenly as she appeared, Jed Yoong disappeared from the radar screen. That was about the same time as the BUM 2007.

    they heard those things that she purportedly did with BUM.

    Did they judge her? no.

    but she judged them all. and without any good reason.

    she's pathetic.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Anonymous12:35 am

    rocky,

    didn;t you know that azalina is one jahat woman? (whoops....woman maybe a wrong description)

    her cybertroopers (whose wages come from the coffers of the Youth and Sports MInistry) were doing nothing but going into blogs -- your included.

    everybody knows where they were stationed.

    hey...heard you were close to her.
    but why the heck was she trying to "fix" you?

    Orders from the top?

    ReplyDelete
  23. Anonymous12:44 am

    dear rocky and jeremy,

    just to let u know that i left same comment i left here about jed yoong in her blog BUT she did not publish it.

    hahahahahaha!

    the truth hurts.

    and she learnt self-sensorship from her mentor wong chun wai at the Star -- don't publish original story because so sensitive but publish follow-ups!

    hahhahahaha.

    ReplyDelete
  24. Anonymous2:01 am

    alamak rocky. Why shut them down?

    Not that im pro Umno or anything but at least they are making a move to engage bloggers in their programme. Isnt that what you guys have been saying? Engage the bloggers?

    Tolak salah, tarik salah. I think you are wrong to jual mahal. Bagi la chance kat diorg. Lagipun its good apa that they are willing to recognize Malaysian bloggers like Indonesia did.

    As controlling the bloggers, i dont think they can do that. Far fetch la bro. You guys are with principles, mana boleh kena makan dgn UMNO.

    Lagipun, more news for us readers.

    ReplyDelete
  25. Bro,

    If the current AAB administration is changing strategies in engaging bloggers, let it be and we should consider it as a positive move, until proven otherwise (which is not difficult to do).

    Meanwhile, it would be incumbent for bloggers to remain incorruptible and unfazed by sweet offerings that may appear along the way (wink-wink). We owe it to our loyal readers and voters who made a profound change during GE12.
    ----------------------------------------------
    Hmmm.. Jed's 'gone postal' again eh. She's not the only one, folks.

    ReplyDelete
  26. Anonymous7:12 am

    I don't believe a word he says. BN has always used the Ministry to RESTRICT information. There will be no change this time. He might speak politely today but even that won't last long! If the Minister is truthful type, he should change the name of ministry to Ministry of Propoganda or Kenterian Bullshit.

    ReplyDelete
  27. Anonymous7:56 am

    sdr rocky,

    i like your statement 'we're not in a hurry'.
    relevance; let them be 'hidung tak mancung, pipi tersorong-sorong,' n 'sudah terahantuk baru tengadah.'

    ReplyDelete
  28. Anonymous9:06 am

    He he he ... Well said, Rocky. He is not trying to be nice for nothing, is he?

    I can see this is more for his boss who is in desperation territory. Hoping to sway blog opinion for him. Sorrreeee ..... resign plse.

    If he is serious abt blogging, revamp teh MSM and allow more newspaper license and not this once a year bullshit. Get self regulation of printing license first!

    On the issue of All Blog, how abt getting his help first to speed up its registration before we meet... hehehe ... test his and the Gamen sincerity. Expecting Gamen to give problem for All blog registration.

    BTW Rocky, you've got two YBs on your protem committee ... Eli Wong and Jeff Ooi. They have to go, isn't it. Ltes have Jeff Ooi as adviser.

    Perhaps, we get All Blog registered and get a proper elected and balance committee.


    Then, there is this news in Bernama below:

    March 22, 2008 21:08 PM

    Shabery Prepared To Recognise Bloggers' Role

    KUALA LUMPUR, March 22 (Bernama) --Bloggers in Malaysia describe the willingness of Information Minister Datuk Ahmad Shabery Cheek to meet with them as a recognition of the role played by the cyber community in the country.

    Yasser Arafat Ishak, or better known as Jiwarasa among the cyber community, said Ahmad Shabery's willingness to listen to the views of this community augured well in terms of the country's development.

    He said the willingness also enabled the government to understand the role of the community in analysing current issues which were of interest to the multi-racial society in the country.

    "The statement by the Information Minister was a positive development and shows that the government recognises the influence of bloggers in forming public opinion in the country," he told Bernama after a discussion session "Writers and Blogs: The Current Trend", organised by the Malay Documentation Centre, Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP) at the DBP, here Saturday.

    Yasser and Nisah Haron, also a blogger, were two members of the panel for the discussion session chaired by a lecturer from the Faculty of Education Studies, Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), Shamsudin Othman, were commenting on Shabery's willingness to meet with the cyber community in the near future.

    On Friday, Shabery said the ministry took a serious view of the role played by the alternative media such as the blog sites and internet because they had a specific role in national development.

    Statistics from the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) showed that 13.5 million people or 47.8 per cent of the Malaysian population of 28.29 million used the internet last year which proved that the cyber space had a high audience coverage.

    It is estimated that there are now more than 70 million web blogs throughout the world with blogs in Japanese language recording the highest number representing 37 per cent, blogs in English (33 per cent), Mandarin (8 per cent), Italian (three per cent), Persian (one per cent) and the remaining using other languages.

    -- BERNAMA


    Why is these two - Yasser Arafat Ishak (Jiwarasa) or Nisah Haron claiming authority to speak as bloggers?

    What is their blogs? I don't think they are alpha bloggers, are they?

    Are they accepted in the blogging community as leading bloggers to be brought as speaker in a forum on alternative media?

    I seriously hope the Information Ministry is not trying to create bogus bloggers as voice of bloggers?

    ReplyDelete
  29. Anonymous9:36 am

    Honestly, Bummer...experts said that the internet only exemplifies and expatiates bullying. You are one classic example. Shame on you. Personally, I don't think sharing BUM's lamb courtesy of SCW is something to crow about fairness and goodness. Are you interested with SCW's dirge? w9

    ReplyDelete
  30. Anonymous10:16 am

    Salam bro,

    Dunno u guys realize or not, he has an artist son.. a gud looking son..

    pssst.. af5.. advert..walls..

    pak lah has kj, shabery has **fi..

    U story i listen.. hehehe.

    ReplyDelete
  31. Anonymous10:28 am

    "I'm the protem President of the All-Blogs, yes, but I don't control the bloggers."
    yes u are, bro! for us but not for 'others'.
    as what u've said 'we're not in a hurry'.

    JbTrooper

    ReplyDelete
  32. Anonymous10:55 am

    Jed Yoong is in need of some attention. Can some of you help this poor soul out??

    She seem desperate.

    ReplyDelete
  33. Anonymous4:21 pm

    This Jed Yoong is full of shit. She is a thief and a liar.

    ReplyDelete
  34. Saudara rocky,

    I thought the definition of blog is a personal online journal. It is the individual that is the player here, not some bureaucratic department or setup.

    But if the Minister of Youth & Sports himself starts a blog to allow direct interaction with our youths and the general public, then he has my support. Just make sure he updates it regularly... not like some UMNO minister that I know.

    ReplyDelete
  35. Brother Rocky,

    Sorry for withdrawing my post initially. I later felt it was a little too early, and I decided to hold it until the news comes out, which it didn't yesterday.

    Anyhow, I've just re-published my posting on the interview, in which you can now link it to my page.

    ReplyDelete
  36. This is a Bernama story last year 2007:

    KUALA LUMPUR, March 29 -- The government has to find ways to curtail bloggers from abusing the Internet to spread lies and defame the leaders, said Datuk Ismail Sabri Yaakob (BN-Bera).

    "We notice that a lot of bloggers have been sowing the seeds of discord among the races, religions... I believe there must be a limit," he said in a debate on the royal address in the Dewan Rakyat here today.

    He felt that there ought to be a law governing bloggers like those imposed on the print and broadcast media.

    "The people believe more in the bloggers than the newspapers... I am aware that a newspaper was censured by the Internal Security Ministry for publishing a sensational story but the bloggers could continue churning out malicious stories," he said

    ReplyDelete
  37. Anonymous4:27 am

    BN can try to curtail bloggers the same way they muzzled the MSM by buying over the internet. Last I heard the going price is about 100billion euros... Interested party please contact me..can give good discount. shhhhh......

    ReplyDelete
  38. Anonymous6:20 pm

    the gov have to understand, setting up blogs immediately will not serve them any much good as the already have the newspaper to broadcast their news.

    The Barisan Rakyat's blog efforts we effective due to the desire of people wanting to know whats truly happening in the country that the Gov is trying to hide. Thus, I do not see why people would rush to read blogs set up by BN Ministers as they might not contain any useful information in the first place.

    ReplyDelete
  39. Anonymous4:07 pm

    nice info

    ReplyDelete