Journalists Restriction at the Parliament

Today is really a busy day but I find it necessary to write about this :
Jeff Ooi : Journalists cordoned off, in Parliament . Rocky's Bru reported this as well.

The Star wrote:
"On Friday, a press statement was issued from Parliament saying that only five journalists from each news organisation would be allowed in Parliament from yesterday. The Parliament administration stated that the limit was for security reasons."

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Nazri said "“Five is more than enough. If five is not enough then something is wrong with you all. It shows you are not efficient. It’s as simple as that."

I was wondering why there was no further explanation on the reason of "security". All this while, the journalists have been doing the same thing without the limit. All of a sudden there is this issue about "security" after all these years? One cannot just simply mention a word (security) and assume that the people have to accept the decision no matter what it is. As a responsible person, it should be mentioned what constitutes of "security" that result in such a rule. For example, is there any threat from unknown people or something potentially dangerous that can be avoided by the implementation?

Nazri's statement confuses me on whether the rule are made due to "security reasons" or "improving the efficiency of journalists". Perhaps, it's both. Anyway, the former point has not been properly explained, therefore not acceptable while the latter point is lame.

I believe if there is any intention of any ministers to "improve the efficiency of journalists", ASSUMING it is a noble motive, the ministers should be reminded that this is not part of their portfolio . That is the job of the employers of the journalists. Ministers should be transparent and ready to answer questions from the press and public on policies and decisions. Freedom of press should not be restricted.

The justifications provided are not plausible to me. Malaysiakini has just reported
Media boycott over Parliament access by Beh Lih Yi Jun 24, 08 10:10am
"More than 100 journalists covering the ongoing Parliament sitting are staging a boycott after the Parliament administration restricted media access to the lobby and barricaded the area."

Unfortunately, I have to say I support the boycott. News is very important to me and I am not able to accept such restrictive rule. Considering the fact that the Parliament is controlled by the Federal Government, which is represented by Barisan Nasional, I would like to ask whether this would be the exemplary form of governance on media that will take place beyond the 100 days after PRU12.

If the answer is "yes", I would be very disappointed. I thought PRU12 inspires repentance and reforms in BN and I, as well as millions of hopeful Malaysians do not like to be disappointed.

No More Partisan MSM : Introducing NEWSKini

In view of the report in Haris Ibrahim's website on " Close encounter with The Star " , I will refrain from buying any papers with such way of delivering news. Malaysia needs a massive change, not only in governance, but in the context of MainStream Media (MSM) as well.

As a Malaysian, I have had enough of pro-Barisan Nasional media. I do not want any pro-Pakatan Rakyat (the soon-to-be-official PKR-DAP-PAS coalition) media too. I do not want media that reports half-truths or biased spins. Say no more to "selective" news publishing that tends to marginalise any group of people not associated with the publishing company.

I want Fairness, Truth and Nothing but the Truth.

Promoting boycotts will not work unless we give newsreaders some alternative sources.


I would like to introduce to the public of this "news spider system" called NEWSKini .

It has been there for a decade. It has everything you need : headlines of recently posted local online news (Asia Sentinel, KLPos, Sun2Surf, Malaysia Today), foreign news (Chinadigitaltimes, Reuters, Chinapost, Atimes, International Herald Tribune) latest major blog and Youtube (of Malaysian news) entries. Not to mention, several categories of Entertainment, World, Business and Tech have been listed.

The most interesting part of all NewsKini even has an MGG Pillai Archive !

My blog links are listed in Newskini. The system is quite efficient as it has automated periodical updates to refresh its content.

Enjoy... !

Kempen Gerakan Anti Salah Maklumat (GASAK)

Malaysiakini melaporkan Gerakan Anti-Salah Maklumat (GASAK) ditubuhkan . Berikut merupakan maklumat yang lebih mendalam mengenai GASAK, dipetik dari laman web Malaysiakini :

Sebuah jawatankuasa yang dikenali sebagai Gerakan Anti-Salah Maklumat (GASAK) ditubuhkan hari ini untuk memberi penerangan ke seluruh negara bagi menyedarkan masyarakat agar tidak terus dipermainkan oleh media yang hanya inign memastikan satu-satu parti politik sahaja yang berkuasa. Setiausaha Sekretariat Penaja GASAK, Hasmi Hashim berkata, perkara itu bertentangan dengan semangat demokrasi. Pada dasarnya, tegas beliau, jawatankuasa penaja Gasak menggariskan tiga tuntutan minima yang melibatkan badan media di negara ini, iaitu:

-> Hentikan salah lapor.
-> Laporan seimbang kepada semua pihak.
-> Kebebasan editorial.
__________________________

Untuk keterangan yang lebih lanjut mengenai pertubuhan ini, sila lawati HarakahDaily.net . "Boikot Media Pembohong" adalah program pertama yang dilancarkan oleh GASAK.

Penubuhan organisasi sebegini memanglah dialu-alukan. Alangkah baiknya kalau idea ini dimakbulkan lebih awal. Namun, bak kata pepatah Bahasa Inggeris, "lewat lebih baik dari tidak ada" ("Better late than never"). Rasanya masa sudah sampai untuk media kita disedarkan dari tidur yang ramai rakyat Malaysia tidak berpuasa hati sekiranya laporan yang disiarkan berat sebelah, tidak menunjukkan cerita yang sepenuhnya ataupun diputarkan sehingga tidak masuk akal di atas sebab-sebab tertentu.

Sekiranya media utama berfungsi seperti apa yang penulis baru sahaja ketengahkan, maka boleh dikatakan media utama itu tidak professional dan tidak beretika. Di zaman Teknologi Maklumat ini, media adalah sesuatu unsur yang penting untuk pembangunan pemikiran rakyat.

Mengapakah orang Malaysia mencari maklumat di internet?
Tidak dapat dinafikan sesetengah orang Malaysia mencari maklumat dan gambar mengenai peristiwa terkini seperti kempen BERSIH dan Hindraf di media bebas internet seperti Malaysiakini dan Malaysia Today serta halaman blog. Persoalannya mengapa perkara sedemikian berlaku?

Sebagai contoh, peristiwa kempen BERSIH yang telah berlalu, terdapat begitu ramai yang memakai pakaian berwarna kuning berjalan kaki di dalam hujan menuju ke istana, kebanyakan media utama hanya mampu melaporkan bahawa kempen tersebut mengakibatkan kesesakan lalu lintas. Gambar yang ditonjolkan oleh sesetengah media utama merupakan gambar kereta yang sesak tetapi tiada satu pun yang menunjukkan manusia yang berhimpun walaupun kempen ini merupakan perhimpunan aman Malaysia yang paling besar dalam dekad ini. Angka hadirin yang dilaporkan pula tidak tepat.

Adakah kempen ini akan berkesan?
Menurut salah seorang Ahli Jawatankuasa GASAK (dipetik dari Suara Keadilan), kempen Boikot Media Utama adalah satu persambungan kempen tahun 1998, sewaktu kontroversi gerakan Reformasi. Namun, yang menjadi persoalannya, adakah kempen ini akan berjaya pada tahun 2007?

Penulis blogger ini tidak tahu sama ada kempen tahun 1998 boleh dianggap berjaya. Namun yang pasti, konsep blog tidak wujud sehinggalah tahun 2000. Kempen kesedaran pada tahun 2007 mesti menarik kerana yang berkempen bukanlah hanya Badan Bukan Kerajaan tetapi meliputi blogger-blogger yang merupakan rakyat Malaysia. Yang menjadi masalahnya, dapatkah mesej kempen ini dapat menembusi pemikiran rakyat yang tidak membaca artikel di internet?

Memandangkan masih tiada idea yang boleh mendatangkan hasil dengan lebih cepat untuk menyedarkan rakyat mengenai media utama, kempen ini haruslah disokong. Penulis blogger ini berharap GASAK telah merancang dengan rapi dengan meliputi setiap aspek dan pelosok masyarakat sebelum kegiatan dijalankan.

An " Accident " to Press Freedom

Malaysiakini reported Unruly Umno members punch photographer .


( Picture taken from Screenshots )

Scary, isn't it? Well, that is only half of the story. There is something even scarier to come..

Here it comes...

Regarding the incident related to the photo above, The Star published a piece of news. This is the important excerpt :

Cheras Umno head chief Datuk Syed Ali Alhabshi said that it was an accident.

He said DAP Cheras MP Tan Kok Wai had come with a few journalists to the front of the Cheras Recreational Centre, which housed the Yayasan Pendidikan Cheras and Cheras Umno office.

Syed Ali, who is also the foundation chairman, said an Umno member came out to ask why they were taking pictures of the building.

He claimed Tan then provoked the Umno members, who became upset and asked everyone to leave.

“It became tense and there was pushing and shoving. In the process, one of my people accidentally hit the photographer.”

Accident? Excuse me? That is an accident? Hahaha, dear me, that's pretty profound. Now, let's take a closer look at the "Accident" .... Now I found that word quite becoming.. Hahaha


( Picture taken from Screenshots )

Oh, "Accident"? Hmmn, I mean, how? Malaysians should feel happy and lucky that it was not reported that the reporter's face accidentally hit the fist of another person. Goodness gracious, if that's the case, it would definitely be a much more serious, ahermmmm, "accident".

Anyway, it does not matter if it is a (real) blow to Press freedom or an ermmmm "Accident", the person as well as the party whose member has got his hands into the photo and onto the face of another person must apologise.

It does not matter who make any form of provocation first or last. The person who hits another first (whoops, again I missed the word "accidentally"... hehehe) would be in the wrong. The party should demand its member who, ermmmm "accidentally" hit the photographer, to make a public apology.

Errmmm, "Accidentally" hitting someone from the press is a serious matter especially if it involves someone from the ruling party of the government. Apologising and promising that such an incident shall never happen again is an ethical thing to do. The only way to make this public is through a press conference. One should lead by good example (provided if there is any).

Seriously, Malaysians should read these blogs regarding the ermmmm, "accident" for more information :

1) Jeff Ooi : Violence against journalist... Umno style
2) Guangming Employee Punched by Umno, Slapped by MCA
3) What a Lulu : Speechless, Lulu Is Speechless
4) Rocky's Bru : A (real) blow to Press freedom

The bespectacled reporter in the picture is Mr. Koh Chun Seng from Guangming Daily. A police report was lodged.