It is good for all Malaysians that the Article 11-Bar Council forum held in Johor Baru on 22 July did not end up with any “ugly” scenes despite a strong protest mounted against it – so unlike what happened on 14 May in Penang, where protestors managed to disrupt a perfectly legal forum.
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After a heated debate in Parliament over the textbook or guidebook for the Ethnic Relations course at Universiti Putra Malaysia, Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi’s Cabinet decided to withdraw the book. It was a slap in the face of Higher Education Minister Mustapa Mohamed for inexplicably defending what Lim Kit Siang characterised as “the indefensible”. Many Malaysians are no doubt relieved over the Cabinet’s decision.
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In the midst of the Mahathir-Abdullah spat and consequent spin-doctoring among the journalistic fraternity in Malaysia, a commentary that condemns the latest book ban of 18 titles instituted by the Internal Security Ministry recently is indeed a welcome relief.
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The practice of having open houses during religious festivals has become so much a part of Malaysian life and culture that it is almost unthinkable for many Malaysians not to have them. Although such social interaction may not necessarily be the solution to the problems surrounding ethnic relations and national solidarity in the country, as it is often touted as such by government leaders, it certainly provides a golden opportunity for Malaysians of various ethnic, cultural and religious stripes to mingle with one another and, perhaps, learn a thing or two about those from different backgrounds.
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The Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations between Malaysia and the United States, which kicked off yesterday (12 June 2006) on the island of Penang, were wrapped in secrecy even though the issues to be discussed have far-reaching implications for Malaysian citizens and Malaysia as a sovereign nation. Mind you, all this is unfolding within the larger context of the din, frenzy and exhilaration of the World Cup.
Charter 2000-Aliran has dissected the proposed bill to set up a Media Council, and its findings are not pretty. There appear to be virtually no safeguards in the interest of freedom of expression or real journalistic ethics. It is too ambiguous in areas that should be clearly defined and explained. Overall, it is an extra curb on press freedom in the country.
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See no evil, hear no evil… that seems to be the policy of the mainstream English papers when it comes to reporting on the brutal suppression of protests against the hikes in oil prices and electricity tariffs such as the one held near the Twin Towers yesterday.
The NST on 17 May came up with a refreshing editorial in support of democratic rights in the light of the disruption of the Aliran/Article 11 forum on 14 May. This editorial was all the more commendable bearing in mind that Charter 2000-Aliran has been critical in the past of some of the daily's earlier reporting. (We have now enabled the comment feature for media-related entries here; so you may add your comments at the end of this post. All comments will be moderated; so they will not appear immediately.)
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The controversy generated by the disruption of Sunday’s forum in Penang on the supremacy of the Federal Constitution continued to be reported today.
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The Sunday Star on 7 May 2006 published an amazing piece of ‘soap box’ rhetoric in their “Your Say” column. This “Morally Upright Citizen” UC) of Kuala Lumpur thought that moral policing was much needed in the parks and recreational areas of the city.
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