There is a circular, allegedly issued by the DAP-led Penang government, instructing its councillors not to talk to reporters from New Straits Times and Utusan Malaysia,
Even if there were no such circular, we've known that since Lim Guan Eng became chief minister of the DAP-led Penang government, he's barred NST, Utusan and TV3 journalists from his events or got the organisers not to invite these media companies to their events where he would be guest.
Mean fellow. Bikin tak serupa cakap. Baru chief minister. Imagine if you were the PM?
Anyway, here's a News Straits Times report:
KUALA LUMPUR: A circular, allegedly issued by the DAP-led Penang government barring its councillors from talking to reporters from New Straits Times and Utusan Malaysia, showed it was being "hypocritical".
Speaking to the NST yesterday, veteran journalist Datuk
Ahiruddin Attan said the party, which claimed to champion freedom of
speech, was doing the exact opposite now that they were in power.
"For many years (as a journalist), I have known these
politicians. They were my contacts and friends and they always claimed
they would give us a better environment to work in when they come into
power.
"But suddenly, instead of giving us more room to move, they are making it more difficult for us and accusing us of being part of their rival, which is Barisan Nasional, when most of us are not even members of any political party," said Ahiruddin, who is a former chairman of the National Press Club.
Describing the move as "very sickening", he said journalists in this country had never been treated "this badly" throughout his profession as a journalist for the past 27 years.
He said journalists had always fought for better and greater freedom in reporting everytime the administration of the country changes.
"Whether it was under Tun Hussein Onn, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad or Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, we always have to fight for greater press freedom but we have never been treated this way by this (state) government."
The National Union of Journalists (NUJ) has also urged the Penang government not to penalise the reporters just because they were angry with the media owners.
"But suddenly, instead of giving us more room to move, they are making it more difficult for us and accusing us of being part of their rival, which is Barisan Nasional, when most of us are not even members of any political party," said Ahiruddin, who is a former chairman of the National Press Club.
Describing the move as "very sickening", he said journalists in this country had never been treated "this badly" throughout his profession as a journalist for the past 27 years.
He said journalists had always fought for better and greater freedom in reporting everytime the administration of the country changes.
"Whether it was under Tun Hussein Onn, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad or Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, we always have to fight for greater press freedom but we have never been treated this way by this (state) government."
The National Union of Journalists (NUJ) has also urged the Penang government not to penalise the reporters just because they were angry with the media owners.
'
Nuraina,sometimes I have to wonder how smart these opposition politicians are.They accused the Umno/BN of doing unethical things and later they always come out and shoot themselves in the foot.Maybe it is true that it takes two to tango.Have a nice evening and enjoy the weekend.
ReplyDeletepoor ns - the only authority she can quote these days is a prejudiced has been!
ReplyDeleteIf he becomes the PM, we journalists will be free to go and fly kite. He is likely to put some of us in prison and all those multimmillion ringgit suits that he, Anwar, Teresa, Azmin etc brought against the media, this man will make sure the Courts find the Press guilty.
ReplyDeleteBut I won't be too sure he will remain the CM after PRU13.
The thing is, Lim Guan Eng has not just broken the promises he made to journalists like you and I, he has also screwed up a lot of other people/voters. For eg, he promised the tunnel from mainland to island but where is the tunnel? He seems to be interested only in his own tunnel of luurve....
The infighting within Penang DAP is his doing. If he does not that resolve that, he won't be around to continue his honeymoon on the island. The journalists have been snooping around and asking too many questions ... that is the real reason why he's banning them from coming anywhere near him.
"I will sue, I will sue, I will sue. You print lah, see what I'll do."
Those were his words. Unbecoming of a CM. Certainly no PM material.
It's hard to blame him given the spin within nst and the waste of paper an excuse as utusan.
ReplyDeleteThe braggart LGE needs the press more than the press needs him. You guys from the mainstream media should stand united and consider boycotting all state functions and events. Total black out of any Penang state govt news. Highlight more of Penang BN's story. Let us see how long the braggart can last by depending on M'kini and other opposition alternative media.
ReplyDeleteAkuMelayu @ Don't play-play @ Fuckdebraggart
""I will sue, I will sue, I will sue. You print lah, see what I'll do." Those were his words. Unbecoming of a CM. Certainly no PM material. "
ReplyDeleteI second the above opinion. LGE is a disgrace. "Cakap tak serupa bikin" kinda person. Totally untrustworthy..
RCZ
u guys are so clueless...u all know what najib and rosmah have done yet pick on something as minute as this
ReplyDeletebruno: Ditto. and you too.
ReplyDeleteanon@10:19pm: eat your heart out. but oh...no pity please. and i'm quoting this prejudiced has been who was quoted in a newspaper. but then, you can pity so many other bloggers who do the same.
and of course, you'd have no balls to tell this prejudiced has been to his face. haha.
rocky: pandai cakap saja...bila dah dapat kuasa, menjadi2.
anon@1:17PM: i bet you dont' even read the NST and are parroting everything those diehard anti-nst militants are saying. i bet you don't even know what spinning is.
AkuMelayu: Wish wwe could be as bad as these people. But we just have a job to do.
RCZ: Fear for the future.
anon@2:23pm: ooh...and you don't have a clue do you??
ReplyDelete@Nur I was furious when LGE barred MSM, but then i read and digested the reason and i have to agree with him, NST have lost its credibility, including The Star and Utusan. All should be renamed to propaganda mouthpiece. I ask myself at times how can you call yourself a journalist...you can respond to this comment after you've published whats going on with Scorpene investigation in your front page.
ReplyDelete@Bru, really? Who reads what you write nowadays? We see MSM journalist have no backbone and you lead the pack.
And YES, i read NST, i skip the national part as its utter rubbish.
anon@9:47PM: you are very entitled to your opinion.
ReplyDeleteI won't comment on your biased opinion, though.
i mean - i don't care to comment on your very biased, and shallow opinion.
ReplyDeleteRocky -- oh yes...we know them -- these people who've been totally intoxicated by power.
ReplyDeletethey're supposed to be better than those 'corrupt' and 'corrupted' barisan nasional people. frankly, as journalists -- and yes, i think we have had training in the profession -- haha people lupa kan, they've been reading msm since forever until they decide to be anti-this and that and found "real journalism" in anti-BN and anti-Najib and pro-DAP yadayada news portals -- we've met all these clowns and jokers..
and those pengecut anonymous people yang BERANI dalam anonymity nak belasah NST, Star and Utusan...the only thing they say is these newspapers are biased...
and they are not?
who are they kidding?
cheers, Rocky Bru -- and i know you don't believe assholes who say they don't read you anymore. especially cowardly assholes...depan you shiver and quiver...
That is because NST PRACTISE GUTTER JOURNALISM what do u expect?
ReplyDeleteanon@1:55PM : ooh...I'm so sorry for you. I'm sure you cannot read..or know the meaning of gutter.
ReplyDelete