Friday, September 12, 2008
ISA arrest and warnings to newspapers
Malaysia Today's website editor Raja Petra Kamaruddin has been arrested under the Internal Security Act - a day after the Cabinet lifted the ban on his website. Three newspapers - Sin Chew Daily, The Sun and Suara Keadilan - have also been issued show cause letters. In the case of Sin Chew, it is understood that the authorities were unhappy with its report on the racist remark made by Bukit Bendera Umno division chief Ahmad Ismail. Editors at the newspaper said the show cause letter alleged that the report had caused racial tension. The report and controversy led to Ahmad's suspension from the party. Editors at The Sun confirmed receiving the letter from KDN.
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23 comments:
ISA is the (best) or easiest way out for the government to shut someone up or to frighten those who dare to speak out. Only history will judge whether they are just or unjust! All of those who come up with ISA arrests and warning will not face men but a just God!
Datuk,
Do you think you need to pack your bags? It's kind of de javu isn't it? Reminds me of the modus operandi for Ops Lallang.
Firstly, a racist Umno man started the racial slur, then the fingers are pointed at others (in this case the Chinese), then the government machinery started to throw everything 'Illegally" legal in thier desperate attempt to hold on to power.
Secondly, they issue show-cause letter to the media accusing the media of the crime they do not commit (This is the reason why you have to pack your bags). Nevertheless, it was the racist Ahmad Umno who started it.
Thirdly, they stared using ISA on RPK on a baseless allegation.....your guess will be as good as mine on what's next.
Finally, to all Malaysian, please be careful and God bless.
Penang Kia
Why go after the newspaper? They are just doing their job! If a person is guilty of saying something wrong, then the person should be punished and NOT the newspaper. Unless if the newspaper is reporting something that is false.Pls use commonsense lah!
A lesson for all. Bro. Wong, you're indeed very lucky. So does your newspaper The Star.
Dear Wong,
Sad day for Malaysia.
The ISA arrest is totally unwarranted as the govt. had said that they can deal with Bloggers who break the law with a whole lot of other laws.
are they not locking up the wworng guy!
Is it weird? Where is the fair play? A newspaper reporting the truth in a fair manner gets reprimanded while another newspaper making reports based on political hearsay escape action. How can the government run by so called highly educated and learned politicians has such low wisdom?
The show cause letters given to the three newspapers, especially to Sin Chew will only infuriate the people, esp the chinese. Why the action against an organisation which stood its ground on its editorial integrity and truth. The action only smacks of attempts to shut up the democratic truth. By claiming that the newspapers were stoking up racial hatred is senseless and an act reflective of the immaturity of the government.we are talking of achieving wawasan 2020. this is towards a progressive nation and our thoughts should also be progressive and not otherwise. there should be leeway and some form of breathing space for all to argue. Lets hope for the best for our country
continue writing good things about the present govermen koz u need to earn a living.shut your eyes and blind out those cries.as long as you can cari makan.
What about UTUSAN MELOYA???? Utusan had played racial issues since may 08…. till now…
Have you lost the plot PM Badawi?
http://romerz.blogspot.com/2008/09/have-you-lost-plot-pm-badawi.html
When there's no open public debate or contest
It's always the much hated draconian arrest
Putting democracy to its most severe test
Let's join forces to put things right at their best
(C) Samuel Goh Kim Eng - 120908
http://MotivationInMotion.blogspot.com
Fri. 12th Sept. 2008.
For the life of me I cannot understand why the 3 newspapers are given showcause letter.
The authorities are unhappy with its report on the racist remark made by Ahmad is Mad???? Meaning what? Dont report? Dont say? Keep the gap shut, turn a deaf ear and blind eye?? Is that what the authorities are saying??
If so, than is the authority saying that it is OK to make racist remarks but it is not ok to report about it. Is this what the authorities are really saying?? It looks like it to me..
Why is it that the authorities view that the newspaper report caused racial tension and not the person who blabber it out? What is the punishment for the person who blabber such racist remark and is proud of it??
WE ARE SO SCREWED... SO SCREWED I FEAR WE CANNOT RECTIFY THE SITUATION ANYMORE. THIS COUNTRY IS DOOMED! MALAYSIA IS DYING AT 51..
The Star being mainstream, has a responsibility to hold in terms of the law. We cannot just accuse the editors for doing what is best for the newspaper as well their direct stakeholders. Should anything happen to the paper, the committee has to answer to the shareholders who are ultimately the real owners of the business.
If you find that mainstream media provides bias info, there are other avenues to seek. I bet you people know that by now.
The debate will always be a chicken and egg situation. The opposition will blame the govt. and vice versa. I am sure that every paper has their share of cencorship to their benefit. For alternative news, only the opposition is good and the govt is bad. It is also a bias view.
What we need is a fair report on both sides. The govt and the opposition. I am certain that not all politicians in the govt are bad, and not all opposition are good. Everyone is there for some purpose and benefit. It is how they play the game.
Blaming Star alone and all the mainstream media will not solve the problem. Asking the editors to pack their bags won't do either.
As for the Ahmad sandiwara, perhaps it is time to record all the ucapan and ceramah of politicians and air it to the public. If he was indeed misunderstood, I am sure the public, with their better judgment would know.
And here lies the hypocrisy of the present government. The perpetrator is left alone (despite the 3 years suspension it is not a punishment) while the reporters are being prosecuted.
WCW, please give your stand in the STAR. Reporters should not be victimised.
Double standards.Why this Ahmad Ismail was not detain under ISA?He was far more dangerous or seditious than RPK.It seems that this government is going to start another "operation lallang" as they have nothing to do other than clamping on political dissidents.
It's a twenty-year cycle, friends. Brace yourself. More will come but I'd always believed that you can't use the same trick twice. Well, actually this same old trick had been used twice with resounding successes for its executor. And each time it happens, Malaysia sprials into a regress. This time around? Who knows...
Dear Mr Wong,
I don't envy being in your position, wanting to say what you feel/think but stifled by all the recent events. This is all getting so pathetic, demoralising and desperately bleak ......good luck and keep up your good work.
Dear Wong,
Though by the standards of professional journalism RPK may be someone who "have no regards for accuracy", I feel sad when I heard of his detention under the ISA.
Then there's the Sin Chew paper, I may not read Mandarin but I can read the word TRUTH. What is wrong with publishing what he said? It's not as if Sin Chew tried to speculate. That bigot didn't deny did he? So, blame Sin Chew for his suspension? What's this? "report and controversy led to Ahmad's suspension from the party". Getting even on his behalf? What is there to be unhappy about?
Is this a message to all newspapers to water down any serious issues in the future? I can't help but think that many including STAR may think twice the next time. Will you? I certainly hope not. Remember what I told you about TRUTH?
I may not be the best person to speak about the ISA but the arguments in the offending article have their logics too.
Oh well, the lay person can think better than most politicians anyway. Maybe the Govt wish to say to me: Our thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways our ways
So Dato Wong, do you agree with what the government have just done, ie use ISA to arrest RPK, or do you oppose the use of ISA to arrest RPK or anybody else? We want to see a big bold HEADLINE in STAR paper stating the position of STAR. We want to see STAR either to support this deplorable action, or to oppose it loud and clear! Any government minister of whoever big shot who feels defamed by RPK, should go to court to sue RPK, and have the cases contested in court.
If the goverment continue to use ISA, I think the BN is the safest Goverment in the world. Anybody who intend to criticise the Goverment of wrong doing just lock them up under ISA and he is finish. If this is allow to continue we do not want this goverment lah. If the newspaper report the truth, there is nothing wrong about it. The newspaper is just the media for the people. That is their job, if the person who said is wrong and got suspended and the person who report it is also wrong, what about those who read it, are they wrongg and be punished too ? Please lah wake up man, if we continue to be like that how to catch up with the competitive world, please BN you are already 51 years old you should know how to think and show us you can do something for the development of the country and be respected by people in the world. You can have the tallest building or the biggest airport but nobody visit you is totally useless. Please think again.
Malaysia government is hopeless. Whole bunch of loosers in the Parliment. Ahmad Ismail who made racist remarks did not get arrested, instead the reporter who reported the incidence get arrested... What kind of world is this??!!... Classic MALAYSIA BOLEH example... Macam ini pun boleh... Sigh...
ISA Arrest is a shame to the Malaysia, the Rakyat. The Worrirs from the Pakatan & the public organisation will definately get the supports from the rakyat from dosmestic and "WE" Anak Malaysia from the oversea.
Oveasea Anak Malaysia will not seat still to see the country being damages by those corrupted in practice or in mind. We will POUR IN all form of supports for the needs to safe guard MALAYISAN MALAYSIA FUTURE for our childrens.
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