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July 26, 2006
Mr Incredible
The mainstream media, says the PM, is more credible than blogs:
The local mainstream media need not compete with Internet news websites and blogs to remain popular, as the public still regarded their news more accurate.Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said readers of blogs, Internet news and SMS would always check the accuracy of information against local newspapers and television. [The Star]
Fair enough. But that's not the whole story.
Here's why Pak Lah is not known for his intellectual rigor:
He said the mainstream media was pressured by information and news circulated by certain quarters through other channels – this worries him."If someone makes a racist remark, do you need to put it in the press, even if it is true?"
"Such statements need not be given space. Wrong or sensitive news will only bring about disharmony in the country. Is there any loss if sensitive news is not circulated?"
Another version of that in the New Straits Times:
"There’s no need to compete. No need to be carried away by the sensationalism of such websites. You must understand your role as the mainstream media."... "You have a social responsibility to fulfil by avoiding news or gossip that could create tension."
... "Don’t sensationalise news that can heighten racial or religious tensions."
... "You should not choose to be popular for the wrong reasons. You should not be competing with someone you know is doing something wrong. On these sites, people make statements that can stir ill feelings.
"Do you need to make news out of such views? Even though what was said might be correct? Do you need to report it?"
... "The media’s responsibility is to decide whether to publish or not, whether something is appropriate (for public consumption). If it will cause bad reactions, then there is no need to air those views."
In other words, if you follow Pak Lah's reasoning, a blog is sensationalist even when it exposes the truth, while the mainstream media is credible even when it hides the truth.
Posted by aisehman at July 26, 2006 01:16 PM
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Comments
Spot on, Aisehman! I do wish AAB would maintain his "elegant silence". At least, this would help masquerade his incompetence. The more that comes out of his mouth, the more it proves that he is ill-suited for the job. The 4th floor boys know this, which is why people like Kali and Brendan keep putting the tape around the PM's mouth, and tell the whole world that silence is indeed golden.
Posted by: Godfather at July 26, 2006 02:49 PM
Pak Lah never fails to amuse the Rakyat. Does anyone in the PM's department at least check his speeches before he blabs out such idiotic remarks? And he is the PM of our Nation which aspires to lead in information technology...
Posted by: bnaipal at July 26, 2006 04:21 PM
AAB's utterances are simply no longer credible. His flip-flops on some decisions has made it increasingly harder to believe what he says.
He once asked people to tell him the truth and yet he has allowed the mainstream media to propagate intentional disinformation so that truth remains hidden from the people.
Posted by: notso at July 26, 2006 05:13 PM
I thought AAB was reading a script written by Uncle Zam, for goodness sake. *LOL* Does a good politician become senile when he becomes PM? :)
Posted by: bayi at July 26, 2006 05:54 PM
Why is it with AAB and even the cabinet, holding the partial truth and the whole truth to ransom is deemed more acceptable or palatable for the general public.
We have our PM going on record stating basically "Telling the truth may not be the right thing to do". Man, that's really rich, isn't it.
I enjoy reading or watching Dubya's (aka GWB) goof-ups but somehow, when it's closer to home, it ain't funny anymore.
Guess, we'll never know about the sand.
Posted by: shar at July 26, 2006 07:53 PM
it is indeed a completely third world mentality speech by a Bolehland PM.
Posted by: sonicwall at July 27, 2006 01:29 AM
Looks like his war cry of more transparency and accountability is taking a back seat. His tenure started promising enough but now it is docked by indecisiveness and subordination. Although I don't agree with what Tun M is doing currently, I do miss him as he has a clear direction in what he does.
Posted by: Wormie at July 27, 2006 12:26 PM
Hey bro!
Don't you think it odd that Abdullah needed to lecture the mainstream media, remind them of what they are and what they need to be doing? And do this in public (when he could easily call them to a private audience and tick the editors off)?
As I see it, the PM is far from happy with how the mainstream media have been behaving lately.
What he will do with his unhappiness with the mainstream media, however, is another story.
Posted by: rockybru at July 27, 2006 03:46 PM
Man, your last para is SPOT ON.
Posted by: ZORRO at July 27, 2006 08:28 PM
I thought the first line of qouting Pak Lah's statement is even more exasperating. 'The mainstream media need not compete with internet'. Even my 72-year old father thinks that the internet could destroy newspaper.
The only thing that that is holding things back is cheap mobile broadband. Once that is in place, mass-paper without a good website will be dead. with the kinds of censorship here, Malaysian papers will be the first to go..
Posted by: Bigjoe at July 28, 2006 10:20 AM