It's World Press Freedom Day. For the Malaysian media, whether they are in the print, electronic or internet medium, it's a day when we are stand together to show our common stand of demanding greater press freedom. The freedom of expression is an essential part of democracy. A healthy democracy means a meaningful participation of Malaysians in the political process.
We don't have to agree with each other. But we don't have to shout each other down, or to shut each other down. More importantly, we must push for the removal of laws that shackle the media such as the Printing Presses and Publications Act and the annual renewal of printing permits. There are also the relevant laws such as the Internal Security Act and the Official Secrets Act. Not to forget, the almost daily legal suits from commercial houses. Let's remove these draconian laws.
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11 comments:
Chun Wai, Being the Chief Editor of the leading media in M'sia, you are to be blamed !! I gave up your paper completely before GE'08 because many articles that you wrote were simply too bias & not acceptable !!! All mature countries practice press freedom & you are responsible to fight for us & not be part of the problem !!!
Hi Datuk,
Yes agree. It's not time for blaming anyone especially people in the mainstream media. I can understand the frustration that journalists in the country are facing.
The recent Political Tsunami kinda blessing in disguise. I hope TheStar will from now on "published correctly or be damned".
Another thing Datuk in a small town like our here - BINTULU, paper like the star cost more.
Although the suggested price is RM1.90 they sell it for RM2.00 and to make it worst, it's not available if don't make the necessary "advance payment".
I hope you can highlight this problem. It's not only in Bintulu but the other small towns in Sarawak as well.
I've been reading the Star for the last 11 years, but since moving back to Bintulu a year ago - I only managed to get the paper once or twice weekly.
Why did you print limited copies for Sarawak!
Calvin
http://blogs.bintulu.org
You have got to be kidding putting up statements like these:
"The freedom of expression is an essential part of democracy. A healthy democracy means a meaningful participation of Malaysians in the political process."
What a joke!!!
Please go through your archives articles in your paper, The Star during those pre-election days.
Then you preach about making a statement on World Press Freedom Day.
Any government which has a Printing Presses and Publications Act and a OSA, can shout at the top of its voice, for as long as it wants, that it has press freedom, no one is going to believe it! Why do you think Mahathir has always find this an albatross around his neck, all these years?
Check this out:
http://mrmanager.blogspot.com/2008/05/have-you-seen-chief-minister-sit-in.html
"mansui, YAB MrLim Guan Eng"
Welcome to blogsphere, Wong Chun Wai.
Hope to engage with you in an atmosphere of friendship and understanding.
All the best to the future, free from the shackles of the establishment.
Dato, I agree with many that the MSM (STAR included) is fast becoming boring & untrustworthy newspapers like the ST across the causeway. We understand the constraints you have that you are not allowed to print a lot of stuff without getting shut down or going to jail personally. But the least you could do is NOT to print BN propaganda. Also the least you could do is print a strong opinion from the DAP,PKR,PAS, or others as way around it, so that the voice of the opposition gets heard. And also please don't use newspaper space to promote useless BN ministers who want to use the media to "neutralise" the bad image from their bad actions. I can understand you may not want to risk going to prison since you are not royal blood, and the police may not treat you as kindly as RPK. But why don't you give space in the STAR to let these brave people like RPK and others like him get prominent space in the STAR so that their voice get heard by the those who don't go on the net? I know that what STAR print is not really your opinion. Also it is time your MCA bosses wake up. If they really are repentant, and if they are really listening to the people, they should give their editors in STAR more freedom. If they continue to shackle STAR, then one day the STAR will become like Malay Mail..just a paper to read entertainment gossips and read the EPL news. Also your blog should not be a mirror image of the STAR, otherwise there is no point setting up your blog (except for us to give you instant feedbacks). I wish you well and hope you will convince your MCA bosses that it is time to "let go" and let your journalist have a free hand, and not use the STAR as an MCA vehicle for MCA propaganda. We don't like MCA, and if STAR don't stop being an MCA mouth piece, then we will dump STAR too. I hope you will use your blog to speak your mind, and not to echo STAR. Your blog don't belong to MCA.
Dato, I can understand that you have to toe your MCA boss' whims. But you as the Chief Editor need to educate these dinosaurs in MCA that they lost relevance because they did not listen to the Chinese people. They were just listening to the MCA members who were there just hoping to cash in on the corrupt system in this country and just wanna "rub shoulders" with the people in power. And the MCA dinosaurs are now still NOT listening to us that we think the STAR is becoing a dinosaur because it is a mouth piece of MCA and BN. Yes, I can see you give more space to Pakatan Rakyat members now compared to before the election. But we can still see STAR quickly jumping to hit the PR state govt whenever they falter. We can still see that many news reflecting the shameful things BN do, are not reported. I do not see your columnists asking hard questions on shameful things done buy BN ministers or ex-ministers. SO why then do we bother to read STAR or even if we read the STAR, why should we believe what we read? Yes, STAR does not want to be sued because STAR has got a big pile of cash in the bank. But you can get around this problem by letting the opposition parties and social activists the space for them to quote their comments. You can give organize public debates for the ministers to take tough questions from a panel of these activists. An interview like the one with Lesbo is a shame. S/He was just using STAR to promote herself and cover up for the arrogant deeds she had been doing against the 5 PR states. Your questions to her were terribly tame, and did not press her for answers to her misdeeds.
Hi Datuk,
Since I do not know you personally, and therefore the kind of person you might be, I will refrain from critizing you and your position in the MSM. I will support you for what is written in your blog. I do hope that you will use your unique position and good relationship with the PM to effect greater changes for greater good.
while we're at it, can you tell your friends there at tv3 their biasness and ass-kissing reports will not go far, as proven in the recent PRU.
The recent police harassment of RPK and the new threats to arrest him under the ISA is another nail in the coffin for democracy, justice and press freedom in Malaysia. It is also a reminder to us all that while many anonymous writers hit out at people like Wong Chun Wai, the reality is that if STAR starts printing news freely, then we will also see Chun Wai get arrested, and I can understand that he would not want to end up in prison. Frankly I would not want to end up in prison too. Neither do all his critics want to end up in prison, and it is all easy for them to throw darts at Chun Wai under the cloak of anonymity. The fundamental problem is that we have a police state under BN(=UMNO). If MCA, Gerakan and other component parties are sincere in seeing justice, they should quit BN and support the Pakatan Rakyat to form a new government. As long as they are part of BN, they are no longer relevant to us. They are just partners in crime. Crime against humanity. Crime against the Malaysian Rakyat. Let us all pray to GOD that GOD will use his hand to bring down this corrupt and cruel government, and hopefully soon.
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