Saturday, March 20, 2010

Journos and Bloggers at NPC "Oscars"

Black Tie next year. Thank you for all the warm regards and wishes in relations to the National Press Club's inaugural awards nite. It went better than I had expected, thanks to the hard work of my Exco and the exceptional organizational skills of Lazarus Rokk and Nisha Menon. They forced me to dress up for the occasion and the first thing the Prime Minister said to me as he got out of his Perdana was, "I almost didn't recognize you". Well, I almost didn't recognize myself.

Bloggers had a table for themselves. Why not? Bloggers had been frequenting the NPC at Jalan Tangsi before they turned into bloggers. Some of them have stopped coming to the Club because they suddenly must eat and drink only with like-minded people.

Some of the bloggers who attended the do last night:


Picture from OutSyed The Box, here, who had an interesting observation about the recipients of the Journalist(s) of the Year - P. Gunasegaran from the Star and Zaini Hassan of Utusan Malaysia. Yes, not everyone agrees with what Guna and Zaini write but these guys continue to push the envelope despite the pressures from all sides. Guna was already a senior business reporter when I joined Business Times in 1985 and Zaini is a few months my junior.

VK Chin, whom we picked for the Lifetime Achievement award, braved poor health to be with us last night [VK Chin is no stranger to all of us ... The citation read out last night by Ewe Jin]. I had the privilege of covering Dr M's visit of South Korea with him some 20 years ago! On that trip, I remember a Malay-language newspaper editor bought a mighty expensive silk black tie because he wanted to attend a "Black Tie" dinner that was part of the PM's itinerary. We didn't attend that dinner, of course, because none of us had a tuxedo!

Back to last night's event, Big Dog was blogging from inside the hall as Najib was giving his speech, beating the journos to the news. His posting PM Najib: Be my partner to help transform Malaysia probably inspired this former Jalan Tangsi regular's ranting Be my partner ... Urrgghhhh!.

For the benefit of those who were not there at the dinner, the PM wasn't reading from a prepared text when he talked about latitude and space for Malaysian journos, about being partners, and about the media's social responsibility. I believe Najib went off-the-cuff to respond to the points I made in my speech -- about journos pushing the envelope and getting sued and harassed with police reports, about his promise to give latitude to the media, and about us expecting him to "walk the talk" as he marks his first anniversary in office on April 3.

Journalist Kugan won the New Media award for his blog here. For this inaugural award, our search is confined only to the telco sector. The Rookies of the Year was an easy decision - the young Bernama TV team that covered the international convoy to Gaza won it hands down.

Lat won the SM Nasimuddin 1Malaysia Award. Most fitting.

Anugerah Legenda Media went to the late A. Samad Ismail. Three times an ISA detainee. Bertahun-tahun dilokap orang, Oh Malaya ... True journalists are a dying breed, I said (quoting Rizal Hashim) in my speech .. The great ones are dead.

Read also a posting by a blogger who once worked under Zaini, here.
The Star's Najib: Press and government relationship critical

37 comments:

  1. Anonymous1:32 am

    How come Parpukari did not qualify for any of the awards?

    For that matter, why no special award for him?

    Dont you read his wisdom thoughts

    He is one fine example of how blogging language should be applied online.

    Its not too late. Give him one.

    Take him to Seri Perdana, Putrajaya and get Utusan to publish it front page - like it did when Parpukari 'patched up' with the UMNO Youth chief during a by-election (which BN lost anyway).

    Ignore not such dedicated and nationalistic writers, lest you want to get hammered by his supporters.

    PARAMESWARA

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  2. nstman7:13 am

    The real winners were the ones who boycotted the Umno function. The blogging world salutes the real winners. Real bloggers treat this NPC function as a farce. Need I say more?

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  3. rasool8:15 am

    Morning Rocky,

    "Well, I almost didn't recognize myself"

    Hehe...okay la tu..sekali sekala dress up sikit baru ada style

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  4. Anonymous8:37 am

    Parpukari, rocky, bigdog should all be given the highest award.

    HuHar

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  5. Anonymous9:24 am

    Congratulations to all the recipients, nice to see the journos dressed up. A rare treat.

    Melayu " Latina " Lady

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  6. Anonymous9:48 am

    Support Parameswara pt on this one! Where was the king of bloggers? Is it true he is now A PNG (perosna non grata) within the blogging aristocracy

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  7. Anonymous11:46 am

    Parameswara,

    Obviously u r a "Khairy" licker - the most disgusting of the species.

    So u dont like Parpu's language but can u comment a little on what is Parpu bitching about all the time? Being a Khairy licker, u cant be honest but I am sure u must have at least one testicle. So dont be afraid lah, pondan. Please analyse just one line of the reams of writing by Parpukari?

    You know damn well that Parpu's main bitching is that a corrupt son of a bitch Khairy Jamaludin is the Ketua Pemuda and that this corrupt son of a bitch wants to become a Minister in Putrajaya.

    That is Parpu's main tagline. His main bitching point.

    The second bitching point by Parpu is that Khairy Jamaluddin is Anwar Ibrahim's spy inside UMNO. If you and Khairy both have one testicle each (or maybe u can share one) then just come out and say it that you are a supporter of Anwar Ibrahim.


    Why play this hide and seek? Khairy Jamaluddin telephones Anwar Ibrahim and exchanges information with him. You honestly think we dont know?


    So u want to take Khairy to Sri Perdana and have him installed as the PM? And that would be a good thing for you to do? A corrupt who has been branded a corrupt even by his own party? A corrupt who has tens if not hundreds of millions of Ringgit stashed away.


    You are right. Parpu may yet get the award. If Parpu is succesful in making sure that a corrupt son of a bitch is kicked out of UMNO and out of Government for good, he may get a Datukship someday.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Anonymous2:02 pm

    c'mon, man...there are unsung heroes out there beyond the hallowed cocoon of the NPC...

    But then again, they are not asking for any recognition...

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  9. Anonymous2:42 pm

    Parpukari journo & blogger ahh ???

    what a big joke !!



    Kamal

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  10. Luckyly SM Nasarudin the CEO of Naza didn't know that a blogger is hiding in his office building! Hahahaha..if he is...then I'm going to get the award! Muahahahahhahaha...(perasan la pulakkkk!) muahahahahahha...

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  11. Anonymous5:10 pm

    Wow, this Parpu guy must be doing something hot for people to comment on even though he is not mentioned in the article.

    Congrats to all the winners.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Anonymous5:51 pm

    jawab jawab jawab
    1) Apakah sumbangan DM sedangkan FDI dlm negara merosot dengan teruk?
    2) Kenape DM begitu taksub nak kononya membantu umat Islam di tebing barat sedangkan umat Islam ditanah air dibebankan oleh tol dan bil elektrik yg tinggi oleh kerana dasar penswastaan
    3) Mengapa Dr. M sanggup menbayar RM 5 juta kpd pelobi Yahudi? Tak terfikirkah nasib anak afganisthan dan iraq?
    4) Mana dia pengaruh Yahudi dlm Indonesia sedangkan dia terpaksa menerima berbillion dana dari IMF?
    5) Kenape Dr M yg dulu membalun PL kerana kononya dia menjual negara kpd Singapura sanggup menyaksikan upacara jual beli saham dengan anak syarikat Kerajaan Singapura. Siapa jual siapa?

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  13. Anonymous5:54 pm

    Big dog cant even get the subsidy amount right and is a chicken cos he censors my comments
    Wenger J Khairy

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  14. PARPUKARI RAJA SEGALA BLOOGGERS. DIA DULU DATANG DARI ESTET

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  15. wandererAUS5:55 pm

    What AWARD did you get for your 3-legged effort...THE BEST UMNO ASS-WIPER?

    OOOOPS, MY APOLOGY, FORGOT TO ADDRESS YOU AS DATO ROCKY!

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  16. Anonymous5:59 pm

    Dato' you looking sharp there

    Warih22

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  17. Anonymous8:54 pm

    Dato Rocky,

    Memang tak kenal kalau sekali imbas! Anyway, just hope you don't change your ways!!

    I had this one very strange customer, just for RM4.50 receipt, he became so annoyed, scolded my poor cashier, for not including "Datuk" and insisted a new fresh ONE, written with his title on!! Silap pulak, tulis Dato', still demanded another!!

    Heh.. kacau, kacau...created such a big scene!!

    mudah2an you tak cerewet OK!

    PERWIRA

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  18. Anak Permatang Pauh9:22 pm

    nstman,
    I suppose you're a farce. Eat your heart out!

    ReplyDelete
  19. Anonymous10:11 pm

    Those who reported the truth are the winners. Do not spin until you can't recognize yourselves.

    BL

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  20. tok pawi2:44 am

    yeah, ParpuKari is a clear winner here. The sight of him scares a lot of people.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Slim Shades10:21 am

    Big Dog, dont you know how to tuck your shirt in? hideous la wei

    ReplyDelete
  22. Anonymous11:30 am

    We have many champions of Islam in our midst but are they really what they seem?

    In 2000, during his presidency, Joseph Estrada launched a bloody war against the BangsaMoro people scuppering a rapprochement initiated during the Fidel Ramos era. Having scuttled the Ramos era agreements, Estrada next did a Mahapakse by raising the flag, don’t they say patriotism is the refuge of scoundrels:

    “Because of this, on March 21, 2000, President Joseph Estrada declared an "all-out-war" against the MILF. During the war the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) asked Estrada to have a cease-fire with MILF, but Estrada opposed the idea arguing that a cease-fire would cause more terrorist attacks. For the next three months of the war, Camp Abubakar, headquarters of the MILF, fell along with other 13 major camps and 43 minor camps, and then all of which became under controlled by the government. The MILF leader Hashim Salamat fled the country and went to Malaysia. The MILF later declared a Jihad on the government. On July 10 of the same year, the President went to Minadanao and raised the Philippine flag symbolizing victory”.
    Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Presidency_of_Joseph_Estrada

    Well, a couple of days ago, an Ulama Council issued this religious edict (fatwa) in Mindanao:

    a.http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=559705&publicationSubCategoryId=200

    b. http://www.care2.com/news/member/530113005/1430459

    which was picked up at this site: http://www.anwaraidc.com/2010/03/joseph-estrada-anti-islam---majli-tertinggi-ulama-bangsamoro.html

    Well, the chumminess is all in evidence there, isn’t it. And for more happy families and reminisces, go to the links below:

    1.http://ckcounterpunch.wordpress.com/2010/01/31/malaysias-anwar-to-see-old-friends-estrada-aquino/

    2. http://www.itnsource.com/shotlist/RTV/2010/01/31/RTV243510/?v=1&a=0

    3. http://zamboangajournal.blogspot.com/2008/06/ex-philippine-president-joseph-estrada.html

    Care to explain. All the detergents in Tesco aint gonna wash clean someone who cites APCO but the very next minute embraces the Butcher of Moro. Wonder what the spin in the tail would be now? Niki and Hardy, the local Deobandi-Wahabi-Al Qaeda, CIA sponsored operatives would be chuffed to bits.

    Warrior 231

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  23. "Some of them have stopped coming to the Club because they suddenly must eat and drink only with like-minded people."

    aiyah, bro, don't be like this la. cam cerite musang tu dengan anggur je. for my part, i have been there twice, and thanks for the drinks btw, but i have to say i am currently ambulating within the 'mamak' category class due to economic circumstances.

    cheers!

    ReplyDelete
  24. RokiKari2:55 pm

    HuHar says: "Parpukari, rocky, bigdog should all be given the highest award." LMAO!! I've always thought that Rocky is of the same intellectual calibre as Parpu Kari. I think this comment (which looks sincere and non-ironic to me) merely confirms it. :-))

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  25. Anonymous5:27 pm

    Congrats.

    Looking at the pictures, I have one suggestion though: you guys (n gals) really have to LOSE WEIGHT!

    NOT TOO FAT

    ReplyDelete
  26. Anonymous8:01 am

    Barak’s ‘One Israel’


    By Tzvi Fleischer


    Israeli Opposition Leader Ehud Barak has had a good couple of weeks. First, on March 4, he managed to put together the "One Israel" bloc, the linchpin of his plans to re-position his Labor party to gain more swing votes and deliver him government in the Israeli elections scheduled for May 17. Then, the results of an inquiry by the Israeli State Comptroller, released on March 15, cleared Barak of any improper conduct during the 1992 Tzeelim training accident, hopefully clearing him of allegations which have dogged his political career since he retired as IDF Chief of Staff to eventually become Foreign Minister under Shimon Peres in 1996. And finally, opinion polls have taken a turn for the better for Barak, moving him from a position where he was at best neck and neck with Prime Minister Netanyahu to a position where he seems to have opened up a lead over Netanyahu of at least five percentage points (although Israeli opinion polling is notoriously inaccurate).

    Israeli political analysts have begun to rethink their political wisdom. A few weeks ago, the majority view was that, barring a major scandal or political shake-up, Netanyahu was more likely than not to retain government. Today, the majority view is that election results are at this point too close to call. However, so far Barak is doing everything right.

    One Israel is a new electoral coalition of Labor, the Gesher party associated with former Likud Foreign Minister David Levy, and Meimad, a party that marries a religiously observant supporter base and dovish views on the peace process. Under agreements signed between the three, the combined One Israel list will see the Labor party list of candidates, established in party primaries last month, modified to include a number of candidates from the two other parties. Gesher is to get three safe positions for its candidates, including the Number 3 spot (behind Barak and former party leader Shimon Peres) for Levy, and a promise that Levy can have a senior ministerial position in any Barak government. Meimad receives one safe slot, one doubtful slot, and a promise that a Meimad leader who is not a Knesset member will be a cabinet minister. (Changes to Israeli electoral laws in 1992 make it permissible for up to half the Cabinet to non-elected.)


    http://www.aijac.org.au/review/1999/244/oneisrael.html

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  27. Anonymous10:05 am

    bengong punya parames... parpukari tu blogger bukan journalist... masuk air ko kepalo kao?

    - parti jahat -

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  28. Secret Admirer10:14 am

    My Dear Rocky, what have you done to yourself ? You look damn good now (drool drool)

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  29. Anonymous12:28 pm

    Is secret admirer male or female... or is it rocky himself? sack the tailorlah, the pic in the star sucks ehheheehhe

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  30. Dont cry for Rocky, my Malaysia3:10 pm

    Anon. of 12.28 pm, 23 March: "Is secret admirer male or female... ." I think Rocky's drooling Secret Admirer is male. Ever since 1998, UMNO, with the persistent prodding of the great Mamak Kutty, has been obsessed with homosexuality. So this is not a surprising development. Don't worry. Rocky is not leader of the opposition. So he won't get arrested if anything happens, even if he employs his drooling admirer as his coffee boy at his Malay Mail office.

    I agree. Rocky sucks in the picture. Rocky looks like one of the mutant ninja turtles dressed in a suit. Won't get him the best dressed Malaysian male for 2010, for sure. Of course, this does not prevent people with a different sexual orientation from us from drooling at the picture. God knows what they see in him. But then, if God knows what they had in mind when they drooled at the picture, even God doesn't want to know! LOL!

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  31. Anonymous4:06 pm

    don't be a green eye monster. admirers are definitely female from your friendly neibhbourhood.
    DDD - Darlin Dato Din, you look great!

    Admirer No. dua (not the drooling one -- this one is the one who is too old to Q for the datinship). :)
    ps: Lat looks very good too.

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  32. Dr. Soccer Mom10:49 pm

    If Parpukari gets a datukship, I am gonna migrate. I swear to god!

    Thankfully, medical doctors are welcome at any part of the world. People like Parpukari can't say as much, so kesian. He looks almost pathetic.

    No, let me rephrase that, he IS pathetic. And no, I don't agree with the infamous x-PM son in law too. I just hate vulgarity.

    I believe anyone who calls herself/himself a blogger must observe certain code of conducts. Sadly, I just wasted 10 minutes of my time writing something Parpukari will never understand.

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  33. Mustapha Ong8:23 am

    Dear Bru,

    Tahniah. the whole event was well organised. however i felt sorry for myself that i was not invited to your prestigeous nite. very good networking with PM, though i honestly feel that all street reporters and other juniors shld be invited to interact with our leaders.

    why always only chief editors and senior editors????i disagree n hope to sell this 1Media idea to PM so that the hard work by the reporters will be recognised and appreciated by the government under Najib's administration. congratulations and see u tonite at NBI.

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  34. sick&tired4:59 pm

    "Parpukari, rocky, bigdog should all be given the highest award."

    Yea, cock suckers of the year award.

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  35. Hi Rocky

    U look cool! Sounds like a fun nite. Congrats...

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