Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Malaysia tells international media, "We will not censor you"















"If the international media wants to criticise us, let it be. If we need to, we engage them (and) we give our side of the story. And if they cross the line, we have to resolve it through legal means." Read more: PM: Media censorship no longer relevant http://www.nst.com.my/nst/articles/2cens/Article/#ixzz1VAN3pfXa
Applaud. But will the international media be equally fair to Najib Razak? I doubt it. Just take a look at the latest reporting by The Economist, which is really an advertisement for the Opposition masquerading as a piece of journalism. Kudos to blogger Pure Shiite for exposing this crime against my profession, for ripping the advertorial into pieces, and for the courage in asking the Penang chief minister, Mr Eng, How much did you pay the Economist to write the article?

The Malay Mail called me up for my response to Najib's pledge. This is the statement I gave them a while ago:

"At a time when David Cameron is seeking a ban on the social media for allegedly creating unrest and Khalid Ibrahim is executing a gag order on the Press over the church raid issue, Najib's vow of no more "Economist"-like censorship on the international media juts out as a progressive voice in support of media freedom. Hishammuddin and Rais Yatim,  please take note. And Guan Eng, Khalid, Anwar Ibrahim and MB Azizan - don't just clailm to be champions of freedom of expression and the media, walk the talk please and stop using it as a tool to win votes if, once in power, you are going to ban the MSM from your sight as soon as you don't like what is being reported.

"At the same time, I hope the PM's openness is not abused by the foreign media, some of which have been known to be unfairly critical of Malaysia due to vested interest.

"Also, hope it does not lead to too many legal suits as these can be construed as a means to censor the media."

24 comments:

  1. Charles F Moreira2:35 pm

    Lucky I'm not an opposition leader as would take over the MSM without compensation, sack all the top editors (except for those who are our members or known supporters) and put our people in charge and make them OUR MSM.

    BTW. I David Cameron actually does try to block online media, I'm sure the authorities here will follow suit, based upon his example.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous3:27 pm

    salam,
    bro boleh tak kalau u don't refer to the dumc issue as "jais church raid". We have read jais' explanation. Tak dak pecah pintu (as the word "raid" brings to mind), in fact depa ketuk pintu dgn penuh adab dan dengan penuh kesabaran menunggu diluar bila tidak di beri masuk.

    So pls, refrain from saying the "Jais raid" etc. I know sometimes we are too lazy to think and barely give thought to the word we are employing.
    Thank you

    Hamba Allah

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anonymous4:03 pm

    Comparing the talk of banning the social network to stop the spreading of UK riot VS the MY economist-censorship?

    You know the difference between the disciplinary action VS child abuse, don't you?
    /eng

    ReplyDelete
  4. Anonymous4:17 pm

    Dear D Rocky

    If PR takes power , i will bet that there will be more censorship in the media and also on bloggers.
    They are already showing signs of it right now. Bullshit to free everything.

    AC

    ReplyDelete
  5. Eh bro why u sensor me n put word in my post!

    Its BENG la bro with a BIG FAT Capital B..

    :)

    ReplyDelete
  6. Anonymous8:15 pm

    Pure shite ripped it to shreds? Seriously how stupid do you think your readers are? That analysis was nothing more than racist filth from that blogger. Then again what else is new from you umno wankers

    ReplyDelete
  7. "exposing this crime against my profession..."

    lol. nice one.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Anonymous10:42 pm

    Rocky & SatD,

    Why don't you start up a business & political magazine to rival "The Economist"?

    Then we compare world opinion leaders subscription & circulation numbers that tells us which one is has more credibility huh?

    Locally, your Malay Mail given out free at GLCs premises also cannot attract readership.

    What more your friend,SatD which don't even publish any publication worth mentioning at all?

    If you guys are so smart and full of truthful reporting shouldn't have problems attracting movers & shakers locally and overseas to read your shite la...

    ~ Jokers Watcher

    ReplyDelete
  9. The international media has nothing good to say about us. It was worse during Tun M's time since he is looked upon as anti West.
    At least with Najib, they are kinder.
    But AWSJ and Economist are always pro-opposition. And that chief Anwar lap-dog is fatso John Malott.
    He is Din Merican's demi-God too.
    I think the government should not sue the international press. Just ignore them, unless the accusations were really malicious or seditious.
    Yes Rocky, we can never find a more tolerant party than UMNO when it comes to free speech. Even the pro-UMNO bloggers are fair and gives space to the Anwar fanatics.
    Compare it to Din Merican and his ilk where there is a gag on pro-government commentators.
    Khalid, LGE, and of course al-juburi are great censor proponents.
    They disallow others in the party to say anything to the media.
    That's their kind of democracy which is no democracy.
    But if ever they come to power, they will be censoring the media which they detest now for alleged black-out of their news.
    Pot calling the kettle black.
    Remember BABI, you can be out of power, but the press remains.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Anonymous11:55 pm

    the problem bro, Najib is to slow to fight the nonsense news n stories! Sometimes, he's afraid to fight n to make a decision.

    If Dollah is so sleepy, Najib is too afraid. Even their cabinets depend to much on Cons-ultants.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Anonymous12:22 pm

    Dont worry la..if Mr Eng got money to buy news you think Mr Jib got no money to buy meh...sure Mr Jib will find a way to get good coverage one...he done before ma...you forgot about CNN and CNBC meh...you worry too much la Rocky..

    ReplyDelete
  12. Anonymous1:01 pm

    We should not be bothered or fear the international media.
    It's our local rag like The Star whom we should be wary of.
    Hishamuddin has reprimanded
    the EIC of the Star.
    But that's it. End of story.
    Mr WC has said the supplement editor has been suspended. That's expected.
    Small-time editor gets the rap and the EIC gets away unscathed.
    And look at his apology which is not an apology. He started ruminating about his paper being Islam-friendly.
    Really, Mr WC?
    Or you don't know what's going on or purposely doingit?
    According to Star people, WC is busy ampu-ing the powers that be.
    Busy tweeting and socializing with the likes of KJ and Naza's SM Nasaruddin and new wife Marion Caunter.
    Suspend the Star for a day. And we expect a one-page apology.
    Is that too much to ask???

    ReplyDelete
  13. SatD,

    The Economist calls him Eng and you call him Beng. haha. And you have been calling him Beng for a while now. You should start a rival magazine la bro, as kindly suggested by one of my commenters here.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Charles,
    I don't think Najib will go down David Cameron's road if that happens, he's a lot more politically savvy than that.

    But yes, I agree, that's exactly what the Opposition would do to the MSM if they took over!

    ReplyDelete
  15. eh bro why ur comment section infested with Ahbengs Bodoh tak tahu nak argue?

    Wholesale tongkang mari nak memeriahkan suasana ke...

    Bengs bengs....is this what VernacuBEng Education have tought u wankers?

    Confronted with facts (one idiot actually said it is "alleged facts" in my blog)...tergagap2 nak jawap..

    Mental doe got "phantom GDP" numbers manipulated by Racist BN Controlled Jabatan Statistik Negara..

    Jom Demo depan IMF building

    ReplyDelete
  16. Anonymous2:45 pm

    "...for exposing this crime against my profession..."

    "I'm shocked! Shocked to find that gambling is going on in here!"

    "Your winnings, sir."

    "Oh, thank you very much!"

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

    Anon 8:15. You have to understand his anger there. He spends much time writing bullshit posts to bash Penang. Then up comes The Economist article which trashes his "hard work"... lol.

    Unlike Sarawak Report vs. Najib/Taib/FBC Media, SatD has nothing to show it was paid for. Except bitching about in 'gua caya lu' BM. Real childish.

    Only now Najib and BN realizes it cant censor as it pleases. Always many steps behind. Yep they can block out the paper with black Artline pen, but there is Internets/FB/Twitter where we can check out. Thanks to DiGi Bersih Yellowman.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Skilgannon10663:49 pm

    pure shiite has the intellectual nous to take on The Economist? I don't think so.

    Let's see a Malaysian govt point-by-point rebuttal of the report in question published in The Economist.

    At least then those who keep track of such stuff can weigh the points and counterpoints put forward by the 2 sides and come to their own conclusions.

    And if Malaysia is wary about international media and their agenda, then how does one account for the FBC Media/CNBC imbroglio and the recent CNN interview with PM Najib?

    And, in any case, why censor when the ubiqity of the Internet makes pen-and-paper based censorship ludicrously archaic. Far better to hit these errant media in the pocketbook by suing for defamation/libel/slander if they commit grievous errors in their reporting. But that would require a rigourous analysis of the issues which the government may not be prepared to embark upon.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Dear Bros!

    I must say, 'allowing criticism and no censoring' specially to international media, that is a BIG challenge. You people don't know, what you never see now, will be displayed daily in other newspapers. I urge, let it be .... just see other nations where media is free, and international media is high-jacking everything, which is false... no one shows good stories!
    Peace!

    ReplyDelete
  19. Malay Mail is toilet paper and Rocky's comment is good for shit readers from UMNO B.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Charles F Moreira5:49 am

    "Charles,
    I don't think Najib will go down David Cameron's road if that happens, he's a lot more politically savvy than that."

    Rocky,

    To be fair, Malaysia has generally upheld its promise not to censor the Internet, with some exceptions - whether under Mahathir, Abdullah Badawi and now Najib.

    That is largely due to the promise Mahathir made following discussions in the US where he was asked not to censor the Internet, so Malaysia lives up to it for the sake of FDI into MSC Malaysia.

    If the government wanted to, it would be a simple matter for them to raid and shut down the editorial operations of local online media, even if they cannot shut down its servers or block access to their content.

    However,if a leader in one of the western countries which is regarded as a "model liberal democracy" moves to control the Internet much like Mubarak did in Egypt, then what is holding Malaysia back from doing the same, since the west would have lost its credibility to criticise Malaysia for doing the same..

    Anyway, I don't believe for a moment that investors in MSC Malaysia would flee if Malaysia censored the Internet.

    They would if Malaysia's action adversely affects their operations in MSC Malaysia and their ability to make and repatriate their money.

    They also would if the quality of Malaysia's Internet is so poor as to hamper their operations.

    Otherwise, they would just regard censorship of the Internet as an internal political matter.

    After all, they are businessmen who are here to exploit our cheaper knowledge-labour, enjoy the tax breaks and other grants and benefits.

    As for Najib and his initiatives, my gut feeling is he is sincere about initiatives like 1Malaysia, etc but there are other factions within UMNO which oppose him, so he has to tread carefully and sometimes play to the gallery to appease his detractors. Hence, giving the impressions of flip-flopping.

    One thing about Najib is that he was educated in the UK, much like Tunku Abdul Rahman, Tun Abdul Razak and Tun Hussein Onn.

    On the other hand, Tun Mahathir was educated in Singapore and Tun Abdullah Badawi in Malaysia.

    Thus I believe, Najib has acquired similar influences from his time in the UK like the first three PMs, so perhaps he is more like the first three than many may think.

    While his handling of Bersih 2.0 was clumsy, his current move to set up a multi-party Parliamentary Select Committee on electoral reform is a clever move which could diffuse much of the criticism of him.

    How effective it actually is is left to be seen.

    BTW. A prediction has it that BN will win the next elections but not with a two-thirds majority and if BN loses more seats, Najib could be turfed out and perhaps Muhyiddin take over.

    Now I wonder what those who are so against Najib would be saying if that should happen and will Muhyiddin be as liberal with regards freedom on the Internet, etc.

    You know more about intra-UMNO faction fights than I do. Perhaps you can write something about what could happen in such an eventuality.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Rocky,

    my gift for you:

    http://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/tv-radio/special-investigation-tv-company-takes-millions-from-malaysian-government-to-make-documentaries-for-bbc-about-malaysia-2338813.html

    ReplyDelete
  22. BIGCAT1:31 pm

    Monsterball, lu minum samsu haram lagi ka? Mabuk ka?

    ReplyDelete
  23. Dear Srikanth,

    Thank you for the gift. I'd read the article but since it was from you, I re-read it.

    The BBC certainly is reeling from the fact that it or its executives did not know (or did not care?) that FBC, aside from producing documentaries, was also acting as an international PR company for the Malaysian government. Says a lot of the kind of homework these BBC guys do on "suppliers". My guess is that if FBC had been brown men like yourself, they would have been more suspicious and done a more thorough background check.

    In any case, better late than never for the BBC. What it is trying to establish is, I think, whether someone at BBC was genuinely negligent.

    The bit about oil palm or palm oil being an environmental threat is an old soya propaganda. I am sure you know more about that than I do, since you have spent more time in these countries.

    FBC has said that the content of the documentaries it made for BBC was not influenced by the fact that an arm of its operations was involved in doing PR for Malaysia ie to improve the image of the country in the eyes of the world.

    It is not difficult at all to tell if a documentary is bona fide or fabricated. An experienced editor or producer would be able to detect the difference. For the BBC to have allowed three documentaries which it now think could be dodge means that there is a serious problem in its editorial-marketing process.

    It has nothing to do with FBC's employer ie Malaysia at that material time.

    This explantion is my gift for you, my friend. Happy Ramadan

    ReplyDelete
  24. Srikanth,

    In any case, what is your stand on the palm oil issue? You're with them?

    ReplyDelete