Sunday, April 24, 2011

What happened to the "anti-Establishment" bloggers?

"I don't know why (we) do it, especially if it's true what they said about these tools of the Internet being a pain in our neck, and other parts of the body ...". Najib Razak, when commenting in his speech on Malaysia's big spending to promote Digital Democracy. He said this in reference to the press statement he had made after BN's thumping two-thirds victory in the Sarawak elections about how open democracy and online media or in other words, Digital Democracy, has made it more difficult to win elections by big margins. [Read We Guarantee NO Censorship and Govt does not fear bloggers ...]
BE MORE INCLUSIVE AND BRING ON BLOGGERS FROM "THE OTHER SIDE"
NAJIB URGES BLOG HOUSE MALAYSIA. Just before lunch, a Singaporean ex-journalist who now lectures for a living, and who was invited as a speaker at the 1st Malaysia-Asean Regional Bloggers Conference which ended today, asked what the PM would do to reduce "polarization" in the Malaysian blogosphere.
The Prof observed that the "usual suspects" were missing from this inaugural regional conference. The "usual suspects" is a term he used in apparent reference to bloggers harped as anti-Establishment.
I was seated at the main table in my capacity as the Adviser to the Blog House Malaysia, the NGO that organized the Conference. Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, our patron, and Blog House Malaysia president Syed Akbar Ali were up on stage with the Prime Minister, who had just delivered the keynote address. Rosmah, Siti Hasmah and three Asean bloggers were at the main table with me. It was standing room inside the ballroom of the Intercontinental Hotel as all 300 seats for lunch were taken up by sponsors, bloggers and observers.
Najib said he, too, would like to see more inclusiveness and less polarization in the Malaysian blogosphere.
"Perhaps this is something the Blog House of Malaysia would want to take up ...", he said, throwing a challenge to the Blog House Malaysia to rope in bloggers "from the other side" of the political divide.

The PM is, of course, being consistent with his "inclusive" approach in almost everything he undertakes. But I'd like to set the record straight here. The Blog House is NOT a grouping of bloggers from "this side". Some people accuse of being an UMNO tool. Hehe. I don't think UMNO would like that since there are names like Tony Yew and Eric Woon on our Exco! And certainly we are not barring anyone - not the "usual suspects" nor the "other side" bloggers - from coming in. For the 1st MARBC, our invitation for people to participate was an open one. In addition, the meeting with the Asean bloggers was not politically-motivated, in the sense that we were NOT interested if the bloggers from Asean were usual suspects in their own countries or have preferred sides.
The five-point KL Consensus (or Declaration) that we adopted during our meeting will attest to this:
The (draft) KL Consensus
1. The establishment of an Asean social media and blogging network to promote understanding, good relations, unity and cooperation for regional betterment and progress of the new media practitioners in the spirit of mutual respect;
2. To assist in achieving and promoting the common values and aspirations of goodwill and to promote greater understanding and familiarity of the social media;
3. To promote the freedom of expression, freedom of information and freedom from persecution;
4. To promote ethical practice of the social media; and
5. To meet regularly and promote the growth and progress of social media in Asean
In short, we were not concerned at all about what their ideologies and we were not trying to make anyone interested in ours. There is more to blogging than politics and I believe that today we have pushed blogging to the next level.

In the weeks and months to come, the Blog House Malaysia will pursue programs discussed during yesterday's session with the Asean bloggers. These include a joint project to launch an Asean Bloggers' Day and a collaboration on Asean tourism.

We could do with help from everyone, not just those from "that side".

The 1st MARBC would not have been possible without kind (and brave) friends in several corporations, namely:

1. Petronas
2. YTL
3. Maxis
4. Telelom Malaysia
5. Sime Darby
6. Scomi
and
7. Felda

It's good to note that the Blog House Malaysia has already gotten offers to help organize our next event in Malaysia!
I won't say what it is yet but it will probably happen in July this year.

25 comments:

  1. Anonymous11:40 pm

    I think Jeff Ooi should be your guest of honour.He has been blogging long before Mahathir.Unless this has nothing to do with blogging.Only pro government bloggers are welcome, I guess.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous2:30 am

    i guest , anti goverment bloggers so scared to come bcoz they only telling lies and hearsay . their only know to condemn and condemn , after got in a real goverment management like in Penang and selangor we can see this pakatan bloggers only after glamours and money , even they cannot do anything in Pakatan goverment , they can talk cock only .

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anonymous3:24 am

    i read and re-read the article above. and my belief is re-affirmed. rocky bru is gone for good. rest in peace, rocky bru. we "were" with u as u us.

    4RAKYAT

    ReplyDelete
  4. Anonymous5:47 am

    some might accused the 2 names as window dressing - just like DAP use several "non-Chinese"

    Tony

    ReplyDelete
  5. Anonymous9:03 am

    Excuse me Rocky,but "BN thumping victory" in Sarawak is not the exactly a wise thing to say as we all know how DAP especially fared this time there.
    and with the GE13 just around the corner, the BN has to face the reality (and put aright fast) of the ever changing voting shift of its previously all wheather supporters which incidently has already happened in GE2008.
    Buah Pala k.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Red Tone insider9:41 am

    Steroetype sarcasm.

    Why should Jeff Ooi always be the guest of honoor?

    Why should we invite someone who takes a cut in the Penang Wi Fi project?

    I work in Red Tone and I know he planned for it from day 12 he entered office.

    God .. is that the type of hero the other side has these days????

    ReplyDelete
  7. Anonymous10:01 am

    Don't waste your lony time when the government is involve!
    Why should they take the lead!They have an agenda and blogers are not fools to fall line and sinker to this Najis crap ! Unless we forget where you got your datukship...to forge this blogging affair...
    Why are the bloggers forming a union?

    ReplyDelete
  8. Anon 1140pm

    We did invite YB Jeff Ooi. He can't come. He is a busy politician nowadays.

    ReplyDelete
  9. dhal kari (whose comment i did not publish but i'm sure he'll be reading this),

    pls learn to call and spell out my country correctly. it's Malaysia.

    or leave your comments elsewhere.

    And dear Anon 10.01am,
    The bloggers are forming this "union" because we can.
    Cheers.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Salutations from the Dark Side! If you pull this off, it would be like herding cats - something I and many others thought impossible.

    Well, good luck! And looking good!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Anonymous1:19 pm

    anti govt bloggers dont love this country and do not want to represent it.

    It is an ASEAN bloggers conference if I'm not mistaken.. nothing political about it.. I dont think the ASEAN bloggers from brunei or thailand now are pro Umno.

    It is not about sopo political bloggers anyway. My friend who runs food critic blog attended as well.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Anonymous2:28 pm

    Anon 11.40 pm, What Jeff Ooi has honour? Dapigs where got honour one. They only know how to talk cock like that rabbit Tony Puaka and de-stabilise this country maa! Go to hell DAP splinter of PAP! We dont want kiasu Singaporeans type in Malaysia!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Anonymous4:42 pm

    i dont know - perhaps the alliens kidnaped them just like how they launched a DDOS attack on MKini and Sarawak Report before the state elections!

    No censorship on the net?

    I reckon journalists with common sense were not invited to the event?

    DK

    ReplyDelete
  14. Seolferwulf4:59 pm

    Are u counting one RPK as a member in good standing, albeit "in absentia"?

    ReplyDelete
  15. Rocky,

    told you. ramai itu orang manyak sakit hati. (pain in liver as ketut liyer said)

    anyway, when you start calling people "najis" and sound venomous...
    what can i say?

    LOL

    ReplyDelete
  16. Anonymous10:26 pm

    I was suggesting Jeff Ooi cos he is one of the pioneer blogger who also blogs about politics in our country.Has nothing to do with his political leanings.As for he is a DAP dog or what else you guys wanna call him..I guess Rocky should know better.He was quite close to Jeff those days when Rocky was on the bad books of the government.Maybe Rocky should tell us clearly here if Jeff is such a person since he knows Jeff personally.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Anonymous12:03 am

    nuraina

    some of your friends call a certain someone al-jubur. i know, in your pathetic defence, u're gonna say it isnt u but them.

    u r mathematically correct...

    4RAKYAT

    ReplyDelete
  18. najis, mamakthir, bodohwi, brother anwar bin ibrahim, mat leather, umngok, dapigs, tony puaka, etc etc

    I wonder what's holding all these people who comment on blogs from spelling the names properly. I can't imagine how a conversation with any of them is like.

    It's also why I refrain from reading certain blogs (bigdogdotcom, barking magpie) though they may contain valuable info not in other places.

    But maybe it's just me. People seem to like them, these blogs which sensationalize political figures in derogatory manner.

    When it comes to long intellectual discussion, they go "too long; didn't read".
    When it comes to a certain social issue, they go "doesn't involve me".

    ReplyDelete
  19. Anonymous5:04 am

    Congrats - Power to the bloggers (ony to those on this side only)

    to those on the other side - dream on, stew in your hate and vitriol and add in a dashes of frustration

    yeehah

    ReplyDelete
  20. Anonymous6:54 am

    Or how about tolokminda?

    Intellectuals don't count is it?

    CS

    ReplyDelete
  21. Seolferwulf8:35 am

    Ms Nuraina

    I agree with u.

    Why else vilify the likes of Lim Guan Eng, Hannah Yeoh, Jeff Ooi and Theresa Kok?

    Is it because they are in the DAP or because they are of a particular ethnicity who, in the eyes of some who shall remain nameless to assuage the sensitivities of Mr Rocky, are damned if they do and damned if they don't?

    Or like a recent commentary in a neighbouring country's newspaper pointed out, to the edification of foreign investors and fund managers, that Malaysia is marked by messy and divisive racial and religious politics.

    Inflamed, no doubt, by the bloggerati!

    ReplyDelete
  22. Latok do u know 100 plus , Revive Isotonic and another one i forgot the name actually taste same , the differences is only the way they promote(marketing) and label the brand.
    So i guess bloggers also same la ,and politic also same.Most important is money la no money how to drive expensive car , go to nightclub and play golf.

    ReplyDelete
  23. I am still waiting for the answer to the question you posed...where are the anto-establishment bloggers...

    ReplyDelete
  24. What is this "us" and "them" thingy? Pink Floyd?

    ReplyDelete
  25. Anonymous5:09 pm

    Anti establishment bloggers are scared of telling the truth, be ethical and responsible, support gay, adulterer, anti constitution, anti allah use for muslim, anti malay, anti islam but pro pas, pro terrorist, pro chinese chauvanism, pro racialism, pro jew, pro anarchy, pro america, pro china and communist, anti malaysian, pro west, defend pakatan rakyat corruption, defend pakatan rakyat power abuse, anti ISA, anti religion, pro murtad, anti royal, pro orang utan, anti palm oil, anti forest and logging, pro bruno manser, anti corruption and anti sprm, believe anwar ibrahim is god and savior, ...sick and wacko.

    ReplyDelete