Monday, September 24, 2007

Malaysia's Misreporting Media

Guys, if you want to know how the local mainstream media reports activities by the DAP, then there is no better example than what happened last week with regards to the case of Nurin Jazlin Jazimin who was brutally assaulted and murdered.

See the image of the basket of flowers published on 19 September (Wed) on page 4 of The New Straits Times (NST) below?


Well, the caption says "One family's message, one nation's grief for the brutal death of an unknown child."

That for your information is an outright lie by the NST editors. The basket wasn't placed there by "one family" but by a delegation led by the DAP Secretary-General, Lim Guan Eng.

Not only did they lie about the origins of the flower basket and its message, they also doctored the photo. On the top right hand corner of the message card is the telephone number of the florist (where the flower basket was bought) printed in large fonts (see picture of by The Sun below). It "disappeared". What I'm less certain about is the fact that at the bottom right corner of the message card, "Democratic Action Party" both in English and in Chinese was written. This may have been blocked by the bear, although whether it could have been blocked in its entirety is the question.

The following is another picture on the same page, with 2 ladies who work for the DAP Rocket publication.

You can see Sdr Ronnie Liu, myself and YB Teresa Kok in the background. NST has very responsibly captioned the picture as "A bouquet and a soft toy are left where the girl's body was found." Clearly, it was too much to ask for NST to publish pictures of the key DAP leaders placing condolence basket but is it ethical for NST to avoid crediting DAP members, even when they are not key leaders?

If something as non-political as placing a condolence bouquet and expressing the anger of Malaysians at such brutality can demand such clearcut distortion of the truth in our venerable newspapers, then what can you expect when we raise other more "sensitive" issues such as ministerial and governmental corruption, abuse of powers and incompetence. For your information, the Chief Editor of NST was notified of the misdeed, but no response, apology nor correction was issued.

The Sun too, placed the picture of the flower basket on its front page on Wednesday last week, headlined by the contents of the message card itself - "Malaysians will not let you die in vain."


Again, there was no credit to the photo and no context provided. At least the paper didn't print a blatant lie or attempted to doctor the picture. However, credit must be given to the Sun for printing the context to the picture the next day, Thursday, after belatedly realising the mistake made, although no pictures were reprinted.


And what about the largest circulating English daily, the Star? Well, a reporter was certainly assigned to the story, but unfortunately for her, since the story will place DAP in a positive light, her work went straight into the thrash can. I am actually highly sympathetic to the English press reporters who do turn up at our press conferences (not all, but some) but who would find that their efforts to file a story completely wasted. The only consolation? At least the Star didn't attempt to capitalise on the picture or tell a lie. They just pretended that it wasn't important enough to publish.

Hence it is not surprising that many members of the public, particularly those who read either just the English or worse, the Malay dailies, think that the opposition parties like the DAP doesn't do much til election day. I can tell you with confidence that the party does a great deal throughout the year, all around the country. For the unbelievably limited resources that we have, we are clearly punching way above our weight. Unfortunately, our reach has been limited, with the exception of reaching out via the Chinese press which provides a little more room for us to publicise our views and activities.

So, if you want positive change, let the newspapers and the Government know by writing to them, or voting "correctly" in the next general elections. Or even better, do your part by helping out with DAP's party activities or if you are in the Klang Valley, help me out. You know how to reach me ;)

21 comments:

Anonymous said...

Tony, I think it is time for you to start a blog specially for freelance reporters (unbias, of course) to report their news in the blog. Password to this blog given to these reporters so that they can post their works without interference.

In addition, start a paypal donation in the blog so that whoever want to donate, can donate. In a way, can finance these freelance reporters with the fund collected. How? Possible to do so?

Anonymous said...

Tony,
I am so surprised that you are surprised by the accuracy of the media reporting and/ or editing the condolence.
It is to be expected... All Malaysians expect such media reaction.
Its good for you to report the truth on what happened. As I told you earlier I would not even read the said newspapers even though I am paid to read it. Worst still if I have to pay for the papers to read such reporting
Lucky thing we have your blogs to keep us informed and maintained our sanity

Anonymous said...

When a newspaper failed to serve it's basic functions to inform the public, I think it's no longer a newspaper, but a mere propaganda tool.

Hence, I have not been buying any newspapers since the last few years. I occasionally read them, but the way news are reported in these "news-propagandas" just disgust me and the fact that I still need to pay for it just doesn't make no "cents" to me.

Anonymous said...

Not that Tony is surprised, he's no spring chicken. He's just blogging to tell all those gullible fools out there who's just started to come out into society and who might not know what's happening.

There will always be a new people out there who needs a little education, no harm.

Anonymous said...

Ths NST is the most biased crap mainstream English newspaper in Malaysia.

I have stop subscribing NST a few years ago since I knew that it is owned and controlled by the evil UMNO party.

The editor of NST is shameful for not reporting many improtant scandals affecting the country (in fact UMNO's image). All the while NST has also been distorting many facts. It will never report any useful contributions of the opposition parties.

NST tries to brainwash the people to make them think that:

1. It's ok for UMNO politicians to involve in rampant corruption.

2. It's ok that ACA and AG do not do their job properly.

3. It's ok to have a hypoctite PM who always practices nepotism.

4. It's ok for any UMNO politician to make any seditious comments to create racial tensions without any apology or being being prosecuted.

5. It's ok for the police force not to take action against any UMNO politicians even thought they have broken the law.

6. ...endless shames shames shames!!

It is just a tool of UMNO to make the citizens dumb so that they become their 'vote slaves'.

I hope more readers will follow suit by boycotting this useless newspapers. Don't read NST if you don't want to be dumb and lose your conscience!!

Former member of UMNO

Anonymous said...

Shame shame shame...I just lost my voice saying this for the past 15 years. Nobody believed me that voting for the opposition was the right thing. I know the right thing is there...

Anonymous said...

Tony,

Do you have a Maybank account? I would like to donate some funds.

Anonymous said...

I hate the BN goverment more with this. I have never buy NST and I have stopped buying The Star for quite some time. My source of news are from the Internet.

Anonymous said...

I KNOW tONY KNOWS....iT IS JUST A TONGUE IN THE CHEEK LAAA! fOR THE SAKE OF LAUGHTER

Anonymous said...

nasty pee is performing its function to the"T" which is to be a propaganda tool of the ruling party; nothing more and nothing less. therefore, dont expect any credible news from them.
i have boycotted nasty pee and all other publications under the same stable since they started the suit againt rocky and jeff. lets stand in solidarity in this boycott and hit them where it hurts most.

Anonymous said...

Will you have a chance to see in NST some of the real photos shown in the folloing video clip?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-4je5SN7Pag&mode=related&search=


The answer is a definite 'NO'.

Anonymous said...

wonder if Tony reads the comments..

Anonymous said...

We definitely don't expect the NST to write: Flowers and condolences from DAP to the bereaved family!

By right, any normal, fair-minded, and responsible national newspaper will be having a great dig at many events that occurred in Malaysia. However, our national newspapers reflect clearly our third world status.

Golf Afflicted said...

Hi t,

Yes, I do read every single comment or they won't get published. But I usually don't have enough time to reply. ;)

As for your query with regards to a bank account, I'll be putting up a post on donations soon ;) So watch this space! ;)

Tony

Trashed said...

Tony,

We need IT savvy folks like yourselves to keep making these revelations of the biased media reporting. This needs to be kept up to educate those who are unaware or disbelievers.

As the NST and Star are finding out, their readership is faltering.

Keep up the good work.

Anonymous said...

Scramble the letters of
"New Straits Times"
and you get
"It's a written mess"

Anonymous said...

Hi Tony,

OK, great to know! The other DAP blogs do not seem as responsive.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Anonymous said...

Tony is " correct, correct, corrrect, correct' all the time.
With Tony you dont need to read all those stupid papers. The only thing you trust in such papers nowadays are the " 4 D Magnum results" printed

Anonymous said...

shameful NST. spin doctors of the highest order, cant stand them and they are laughing all the way. technically its correct they will put it as it was a family, delegation of people...

anyway, tony, where are you running for election? please let me know, i want to volunteer to help u

cheers!

Anonymous said...

In the beginning, NST was the paper. Now, it has become trash, thanks to Umno, otherwise known as the Nazi party of Malaysia. Once it became the propaganda tool of the most hated party in Malaysia, the end was obvious. The paper has never regained its lost glory. It has become the object of derison among the public. Rest In Peace, NST.

Unknown said...

Tony, thank you for making the record straight. Its heartening to see DAP was there to share the grievances with the nation.

I noticed DAP did not take the opportunity to seek publicity since the warm message on the note read as coming from caring Malaysians.

Salute to all of you once again.