Saturday, June 30, 2007

Liar Liar

On Wednesday, I sat in a press conference with my party boss, Lim Guan Eng as well as YB Tan Kok Wai protesting the instructions given to the various TV stations for banning all footage of opposition leaders.

The next day, NTV7 denied the claims, as reported in Malaysiakini here.
"I can tell you, there is no such directive," a top network source told malaysiakini when contacted.

"Also, our prime time news period is also too short (30 minutes) and it’s impossible to air everything," explained the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

"Then again, all media reporters have their guidelines on what to write and what not to write, so it’s the same for our news desk. In the final analysis, it depends on what the politicians are saying," he added.
Well, the journos at Malaysiakini must be applauded for doing their job. They came up with concrete proof today that instructions were issued by Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) under the Ministry of Energy, Water & Communications.

Click image for a larger view
“The government has noted that several private TV and radio stations have been airing speeches by opposition party leaders,” wrote MCMC chairman Dr Halim Shafie in the June 7 letter.

“Your station is requested not to broadcast such speeches in future.”

The one-page letter added that the directive should be implemented immediately.
Hence, very simply, all these denials about discrimination are just lies, as we had known all along. Except now, its in black and white.

30 comments:

Anonymous said...

Wah BN abusing Govt resources (read Govt resources) to eliminate opposition voices ah!!! But then again, this is nothing new too.

Wonder you guys can get this piece of news announce in newspapers, radio and tv? Oh, I forgot they are not allow to. Guess we can only wait until internet catch up. Made you want to SCREAM!!!! Grrr...

Anonymous said...

Transparency? Freedom of speech? I ain't seeing none from the National Front. Definitely hypocrisy at its finest.

Anonymous said...

i guess we have to go to the cyberspace to get the real news in malaysia. these days everyone have a blog and malaysian goverment promise not to censor the internet in malaysia. so that is where we got o get the real news not 8pm news on TV anymore.

Anonymous said...

But opposition blog also do censorship!

Anonymous said...

BN = Walking Encyclopedia of Hypocrisy + Corruption + Lies+ Cronyism + Incompetency + Stupidity + Greed + Wastage + Racism => suffering of the people. It's sad that many people in this country still trust the fake contents of the muzzled mainstram media. 4���ѡ�� �ǹ����գ� ���Ե���Ͷ������

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Anonymous said...

糖果照收,反对党照投 !!!

Anonymous said...

Malaysia is in such a pathetic condition. I guess we owned these to Razak's coup d'etat in 1969. From that day onwards, the once finest democratic country in the world became a dictatorial one.

Anonymous said...

Anoymous 410 pm,

The opposition does not own the media - what censorship can there be?

Sounds like an oxymoron to me.

Jeffrey Chew said...

Very clear and direct. BN govt is worried and it's a good sign. Tony - continue to expose such lies.

Anonymous said...

anon 156 he is referring to the blog that is being censored. Now who is the oxymoron?

Anonymous said...

Anonymous 834 pm said
"anon 156 he is referring to the blog that is being censored. Now who is the oxymoron?"

There is a difference between censorship whereby LIES are being covered up (as in this denial of a directive to blot out opposition viewtime) and deleting postings of a racial and taunting nature which has NOTHING to do with the topic of discussion in this blog.

Obviously you lack the grey matter to discern between the two.

Anonymous said...

Don't give a shit lah. If you lie means you are the bad guys lah. Don't care also lah, if majority are the bad guys, what can the citizens do?

Anonymous said...

The minority will suffer and become even more minority :)

The majority rules, and then breaks into sects due to greed. Own people fighting one another in power struggles. Now what will happen?

Anonymous said...

OFF TOPIC:

READ TODAY'S STAR.
UNMO IS PREPARING TO FIGHT CYBERWARS AGAINST CERTAIN SITES.
TP SITE MUST BE ONE OF THE SITE

LETS START BUILDING FIREWALLS AND RELEASE OUR WORMS AND TROJANS
MAY THE FORCE BE WITH US!!

Anonymous said...

Guess Tony have to "ta pau" this site?

NYPT said...

BN is truly dissapointing....

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...
Guess Tony have to "ta pau" this site?

5:14 PM

_________________________
not only the site, including the towkey will be "ta pau"

Anonymous said...

anon 653 pl provide plastic boat for tony to ta pau to china sea

Anonymous said...

aiyaa you mean plastic bag or boat

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Anonymous said...

My goodness, I hope those who posted ignorant personal attack accounts can please stop doing so...it's disgusting that a blog that is so well accepted and read by many has turned into such an ugly battle ground. Perhaps you should put a link to a new blog where you guys can continue this childish act.

Anonymous said...

anon 222 reality hurts , just be realistic , leave

Anonymous said...

Regardless of ethnicity, the mindset in this country has evolved from partial nationalistic to fully economical. Everyone will be reading, talking and discussing about the interesting stories, lies, conspiracy, etc BUT when it comes to casting their vote, Malaysians do not have the courage yet for a change.

The opposition as the title suggest has been doing its job fairly well; opposing the present governtment. This has provided a voice in the parliament opposing unwise or irrelevant policies. At the same time, also considered as political entertainment to the masses.

What the man on the street, which makes up more than 90% of Malaysian population wants is that the gov't I vote for must be able to safeguard my country and ensure that when I wake up tomorrow, I know income is still available and I don't have to stress over an already stressful life.

The gov't I vote must think of me. For most Malaysians, the only entity they know thus far is the BN.

Oppositions must come up with a credible alternative. You must show people that you speak sense and that you are confident not only to clear our country of the dirt and clogs but also that when all these are done, you can also propel us further.

Its all about HOPE.

Anonymous said...

早前當局以“神不知鬼不覺”的方式禁止電視台播放反對黨成員的訪談及新聞,經過反對黨的強烈抗議及媒體報導引起的輿論壓力後,能源、水務及通訊部長林敬益下令收回有關指示。

反對黨人士說,禁播反對黨新聞是國陣在大選舉行前試圖打壓反對黨的手段,同時打擊大馬民主政治發展。


另外,副首相納吉指現今網站和部落格的消息具爭議性,因此主流媒體更顯重要。

這兩種說詞看似前呼後應,卻又前後矛盾。

國內一些媒體向來對反對黨的新聞避重就輕是不爭的事實,這多少降低了反對黨的曝光率,影響反對黨的宣傳成效。

然而,這也造就了在法律界線上擁有相對較大空間的網絡媒體的存在及需求增加,進而衍生如納吉所說的“具爭議性消息”。這正是當局的矛盾之處,一方面要管制媒體,一方面又管不住管制媒體後帶來的問題。

媒體之所以成為朝野雙方如此在乎的對象,除了具有傳遞訊息、塑造形象的功能外,更重要的是媒體擁有教育公眾的能力。

在一個民主自由、媒體中立的理想國家裡,報章電視的角色只是陳述事實、尋找真相的“中間人”,一切是非對錯交由民眾聽取雙方的說詞後自行決定,而要實現這種理想國家的前提是必須擁有思想成熟、獨立思考及理性分析的人民。

因此,如果一個政府會想要控制媒體,其目的一般上是想要阻止民眾接受“良好教育”,無法成為思想成熟及理性的國民,因為這種國民最容易被眼前的利益所誘,看不見國家民族未來長遠的發展,使政客有機會大撈政治資本。

我國政府禁止電視台播放反對黨新聞背後的用意為何不得而知,特別是林敬益已表明,大馬通訊及多媒體委員會是在他不知情的情況下向電視台發出這項指示。換言之,這不是內閣或部門的意思。

然而,不管這是否是政府的用意,它確實能阻止及剝奪國人學習多面思考的機會,使主流媒體的受眾成為被動者,沒有選擇地接收被計劃好的“議題設定”式訊息。在這樣的媒體教育方式下,國人將被培養成只有立場,沒有是非的人,成為國家發展與民主自由進步的絆腳石。

新聞自由絕對是一個國家成為先進國的必經之路。因此,要在2020年成為先進國的大馬應是時候還給媒體言論及報導自由的空間,更應讓國人盡情享有知的權利。

范曉琪

Anonymous said...

anon 759 living in a time warp longing to go back to tongsan country

Anonymous said...

Anoymous 941 pm,

And you must be posting this from hospital bahagia.

Anonymous said...

anon 1155 you're a typical tongsan, we regret your kind coming here, but dont make a fool of yourself. Pl be civil

Anonymous said...

Aiyah anoymous 1254 pm, we all know you are posting from some madhouse institution lah. Don't waste taxpayers' funds to keep idiots like you lah - go throw yourself into the sea and be done with it.

Anonymous said...

How can you say waste tax payer money, this one from wushu and basketball fund only. Very sophisticated one paid by your kind only