It is however clear to me now that Utusan Malaysia serves critically as a mouthpiece to agitate racial sensitivities as well as promoting the concept of racial supremacy, instead of a "Bangsa Malaysia", or in DAP's terms, "Malaysian First".
Take for example, the recent protest note sent to the Prime Minister's office by Hindu Rights Action Force (HINDRAF). Some of the demands by the group include calls on the government to maintain Malaysia’s status as a secular state, full revamp of National Integration Policy, preservation places of worship as well as affirmative-action plans for the Indian community.
Certainly, the demands aren't earth shattering or by no means "extreme". However, the editors of Utusan Malaysia responded angrily in their column "Bisik-Bisik Awang Selamat". Here's one on 21st August on the demolition of Hindu temples around the country:
Isu tersebut ialah tentang kuil. NGO itu mendakwa banyak kuil telah dirobohkan. Tetapi HINDRAF tidak pula menyebut bahawa kuil-kuil itu dibina secara haram.On the previous day, "Awang" was even fiercer.
[...]
Walaupun kaum India cuma minoriti, terdapat begitu banyak kuil di Malaysia terutama yang dibina secara haram. Membina kuil haram cukup mudah seolah-olah negara ini tiada undang-undang.
Awang harap isu ini menjadi pengajaran kepada kerajaan khususnya PBT. Inilah akibatnya jika kita berlembut dari awal lagi. Akhirnya kerajaan yang ditekan dan menjadi mangsa manipulasi.
[...]
Maka bertindaklah ke atas pihak yang sesuka hati membina dan menyelia kuil haram. Bertindaklah sebelum keadaan menjadi lebih buruk dan membawa mudarat.
Awang – Beralah ada batas.
AWANG terkejut dengan tuntutan Hindu Rights Action Force (HINDRAF), sebuah NGO kaum India yang mahu hak istimewa orang Melayu dihapuskan dan mendakwa kaum India dipinggirkan oleh kerajaan BN.It is hence not surprising that UMNO possesses a stranglehold over an overwhelming majority of the Malays in Malaysia. Daily perpetuation of half-truths and untruths, presented in an inflammatory manner to the Malay public has resulted in a skewed view towards Malaysia, as a society.
[...]
Tindakan HINDRAF hanya akan mengundang gelombang kemarahan masyarakat bumiputera yang sudah begitu banyak beralah untuk kaum minoriti atas nama kontrak sosial.
Sedarkah bahawa masih ramai orang Melayu dan bumiputera yang miskin terutama di luar bandar. Mereka setia menyokong kerajaan sejak merdeka lagi. Kalau diikutkan, mereka lagi berhak membuat pelbagai tuntutan.
Ingatan Awang, jangan sampai orang Melayu hilang sabar dan akhirnya memudaratkan semua pihak.
Dakwaan HINDRAF tentang isu kuil juga, sama sekali salah. Di negara inilah, terdapat begitu banyak kuil seolah-olah orang India merupakan kaum induk. Mahu apa lagi?
Awang – Membara dalam diam.
Where then, is the voice of moderation, tolerance and compassion in the Malay vernacular media? Can things change?
17 comments:
I would not read Utusan Malaysia or Berita Harian, despite being paid to read it!
I cannot imagine people actually buying those papers to read it !!!!
I am not sure how many knew this but this is totally new to me. Just stumbled upon it few weeks back when I was reading something else.
The history of utusan malaysia.
Slightly more than the 'diet' version they want the public to know. If you bother to check, both wikipedia and a gov site have 'diet' versions.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Utusan_Malaysia
http://www.kempen.gov.my/coci/presorg.htm
Apparently, utusan was created as utusan melayu (this we know). But, the man behind it surprised me; yusof ishak, the first spore's president.
If you are interested, here it goes;
Utusan was started to spoke on behalf of the malay community. Because yusof was determined to have the paper funded by the malay community themselves, he personally went from village to village to raise fund. In total, he raised $13k and utusan was started in 1939.
According to the book I read, it was his strongly-worded articles that helped in the formation of umno.
To cut the story short; yusof reluctantly resigned from utusan after umno secretly became its major shareowner. He then retired to grow orchids in KL.
Damn, i felt like an archaeologist everytime i read about msia history. When will they stop butchering our history?
Can we expect more from a paper that can't even face its own history?
Utusan? Harakah? Not a reader of either (call me ignorant if you please), but I sense some similarity.
That's why Mahathir said the bloggers are really the last remaining hope of the nation!
Tony,
Don't blame Utusan Malaysia lah, it's owned by UMNO, the party with extremists and low-standard morons.
Utusan Malaysia, the New Strait Times, the Star, etc are just a few shameless newspapers that often cover up the scandals of the BN government and to make oppositions look bad.
Tony,
That is why we must work extremely hard to ensure that UMNO suffers an electoral defeat and is weakened.
DAP must work with PKR and Anwar. Do not let UMNO slaughter them. There is a need of a strong Malay opposition.
Kenapa Awang tidak terkejut mengenali pengganasan sesuatu kumpulan orang kat mesyuarat APCET II beberapa tahun dulu atau pun seminar Article 11 di Pulau Pinang pada tahun lepas ?
Betul kata Tony - lapuran Utusan Malaysia atau pun sesiapa si Awang ni tidak seimbang. Bahaya nya merupakan kaum Melayu tidak dapat
melarikan dari kesesatan.
can someone shed some light with regards to the government's proposal to use Syariah law to replace English common law in court proceedings . What's the reasoning behind this, and how will it impact "others" ?
English common law is for ENGLISH or those that speak ENGLISH!
Reading the mainstream newspapers like Utusan Malaysia, Berita Harian, Metro, NST, etc will also make you dumb - unable to differentiate right or wrong.
Even paid I won't read them, they are no differences from rubbish.
You only pay to read entertainment and sports news in the local newspapers.
Saya beli berita harian dan utusan malaysia hanya untuk tengok keputusan MAGNUM 4 NOMBOR EKOR!!
Itu keputusan takder tipu! Lain lain berita saya tak baca dan percaya!
UMNO always tried to paint a picture to the Malays that non Malays against UMNO is equal to against Malays as a whole.This is a distorted picture that UMNO always try to brain wash into every Malays' mind.This is absolutely not true, we are also against MCA, Gerakan and MIC. What we want is very simple, a good government which is fair and good for every rakyat disregards what races they are. We don't care what race the government consists of,we just want government consists of the best brain and integrity and govern with transparency and always place rakyat's benefit above everything.
Keep on pressing the authorities for the truth and justice!
They cant forever ignore you TP!
The day will come when everyone will listen to you !
Keep on fighting TP!
I know its a tough fight against the established system, but you will win in the end TP!
I hope DAP will buy tons and tons of CLOROX to disinfect and sanitize the UNMO and BN politicians...
Maybe CLOROX will make them clean....
He said all Indians are Hindu... doesn't he know that Hinduism also has Chinese, Bumiputeras & other races as well?
I wonder why he only mentioned Indians? He has some prob there, as religion is not for a specific race. Humans are all the same anyway....
No matter which religion, other races also have their own freedom to have faith in... example, a Caucasian whose religion is Taoism (most Caucasians are Christians, Jews, Agnostists or Atheists).
-Indian Muslim guy-
We Malaysians do not live in a country that judges us not on our creed, culture or religon, but one that does.
As long as the Malays do not recognise their biggest problem is their insecure inability to compete on level terms, to live in a country that doesn't place supreme importance in their beliefs and needs, Malaysia, will never achieve it's true potential, of which it has much.
that is the underlying problem, and our leaders have much to answer from.
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