August 07, 2006
Recording Statements
They will report you if you cross the line:
Police reports will be a form of control against bloggers who post seditious, malicious and defamatory articles on the Internet.Energy, Water and Communications Minister Datuk Seri Dr Lim Keng Yaik said although the Government would not censor the contents, investigations would be conducted once a police report was lodged against a blogger.
"The police report will be a form of control by the Government to ensure bloggers do not the break the law," he said ... [The Star]
If it were up to me, I would include "mindboggling" besides "seditious", "malicious" and "defamatory".
Here's an example of something that boggled my mind this morning:
The Bahasa Malaysia version of the Bible available on the Internet is meant for Christian bumiputras in Sabah and Sarawak.Deputy Internal Security Minister Datuk Fu Ah Kiow said many Christian bumiputras there could only understand Bahasa Malaysia.
"I know there are many bumiputras in Sabah and Sarawak who are Christians and they only know Bahasa Malaysia.
"The website will be useful for them when they want to do references," he said told reporters after launching the 54th Public Defence Day celebration here yesterday. [The Star]
I have no problems with Christians and with BM Bibles (online or offline).
What I have a problem with is statements that don't take into account that God gave us brains.
Unless access to the website is strictly controlled and restricted solely to registered Christian bumiputra Internet users, there is no such thing as an Internet version of the Bahasa Malaysia Bible being only for Christian bumiputras in Sabah and Sarawak.
Imagine me telling you that Aisehman.org is meant only for monkeys in Malaysia that vigorously shake trees on windless days -- you would think I was off my rocker, right?
Instead of calming things down, Fu's statement could have the effect of making things worse, as people who do have problems with Bahasa Malaysia Bibles online and understand how the Internet works will be extemely insulted by what the deputy minister said.
If I were Fu, I would be disappointed with that most credible source of the truth -- the mainstream media -- because it failed in its primary duty: Make the establishment look good.
The media (in this case, The Star) should have pointed out to Fu the gaping holes in his explanation and given him some time to come out with a better one.
Instead, the deputy minister's words were published in all its glorious inconsistency with reality.
With friends like these, who needs enemies?
Posted by aisehman at August 7, 2006 02:40 PM
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Comments
Dear aisehman,
The mainstream media didn't point out the gaping holes in Fu's explanation and when a "misunderstanding" crops up, he would say the Media miss quoted him!
And this applys to others of his kind. Always the Media miss quoted them!
Posted by: opera7 at August 7, 2006 04:07 PM
On windless days, monkeys do shake trees if they notice or sense dangers around their surroundings. Don't believe me?. Go to the jungle and look for a peaceful tree with full of monkeys, they will sure shake the branches/tree as your present there is endangering their peace.
Got what I mean?. Don't undermine monkeys.
Monkeys are intelligent creatures everybody knows that. They are the closest specie to us. No monkeys reported killed in recent tsunamis.
Posted by: munky at August 7, 2006 05:12 PM
It doesn't take much to become a cabinet Minister in Malaysia, does it? :)
Posted by: bayi at August 7, 2006 06:10 PM
Boss, good to know you are blogging again. Miss your writings.
ok, i think if you read it in context what he means is that the Malay Bible is available and accessible by everyone, but only non-muslims are allowed to read it. Pretty similar to those warnings in Toto and Magnum and even churches where it says, that the premise is out of bound for Muslims. In other words he is just trying to do his job of reassuring those fundamentalist...
chicken_feet
Posted by: chicken feet at August 7, 2006 07:43 PM
Is like that wun lah !!!...wut do u expect fr the Star, Utusan or NST !!! Semua pun cilaka wun lah !!!
When I eat my laksa in Chow Kit Markets in the mornings..I just read the sports column, entertainment section...look at pictures of pretty gals...then when i habis..i just buang into the tong sampah..or give to the stall vendors to be used as wrapping paper.
Posted by: village_ahpiau at August 7, 2006 08:46 PM
KJ is an insult to the monkeys!
Posted by: bayi at August 7, 2006 09:27 PM
By the way, what happened to Malaysia Today? The site is inaccesible today.
Posted by: Boleh! at August 7, 2006 11:35 PM
Nobody remembers the 3 monkies anymore?
One hears no evil, another speaks no evial, and the third sees no evil...
Can't be a Freudian slip, can it?
Posted by: botak at August 7, 2006 11:47 PM
Irrelevant and just for laugh: I was told that God created Man only because He was very disappointed with monkeys. But I think it was just some cosmetic modifications.
Posted by: Keng-Leong at August 8, 2006 12:34 AM
chicken_feet:
The ban against Muslims entering gambling premises is enforceable.
But how do you prevent people from going to a public website with just words?
Moreover, there is neither a religious nor legal ban against Muslims reading the Bible, online or offline.
That's why I said it was insulting.
Posted by: Aisehman at August 8, 2006 12:41 AM
As i said, it's pretty obvious their intention is not to prevent since they know it's impossible, but to reassure the relevant parties. He, apparently knows who this message is directed to.
As for Muslims entering Toto, well, you and i know that enforcement never happens even when it can be done, he he.
You come back to the point when you said that there are no religious ban on Muslims reading the Bible. You know what? All the while I thought Muslims are not suppose to read Bible! Based on my conversation with my muslim colleagues, it seems to them that only ulamas are authorised to read it and then share with others...
If this is true, then the ban should never be there in the first place. I guess, to understand the real Islam, the last place to go to is this place that we call M'sia. But wait a minute, all these comes from the fact that it is illegal to progate other religion to muslims. So i need to ask you, is this ban mentioned in Islam too?
Good day ahead.
chicken_feet
Posted by: chicken_feet at August 8, 2006 08:38 AM
fu should have said "the online bahasa bible is now available. anyone with internet access can access the site IF they like". so those who DO have problems with bahasa bible, then don't go to the website! it's your own choice! those who are non christians but don't mind visiting the site because they know that by visiting it, they won't suddenly convert into chrisitanity, are welcome to do so. do not say the site is NOT for non christians (same like fu said the site if ONLY for christians) because then it will be insulting to the non christians because it will look like their (non christians) faith might be shaken if they visit the site.
as far as i know, if i remember correctly there is no ban on muslim reading the bible. see here in our blogosphere we have one non ulama (but a very fanatic islamist - menj) acknowledging reading the bible. what we have is the gomen who like to 'protect' the muslims by banning bibles in bahasa (at one time). banning bahasa bibles, see, not banning muslim from reading the bible.
Posted by: lucia at August 8, 2006 10:44 PM
Why are Muslims banned from reading other religious texts? Is this in the Quran or is it a 'convention' thing or is it something only followed by certain groups or is it something peculiar to Malaysia?
Posted by: huajern at August 8, 2006 11:45 PM
This is the Internet age. If reformation did not happen centuries ago, it certainly would happen now. Nothing can stop the diffusion of knowledge and the mode of reasoning unless we stop to exist or stop to live in a community.
Aisehman, are you all out to promote liberalism and free talk? If we promote blogging, we should promote free talk, free communication and reasoning while moderating it responsibly if others do not post responsibly. If we are to push for transparency and to promote a culture of questioning, nothing should be with held. Either this, or we stiffle this right to question and communicate altogether.
Posted by: Philip at August 10, 2006 01:05 PM
lucia is right.
philip is right.
What's not right is insulting the intelligence of the people.
Posted by: Aisehman at August 10, 2006 02:00 PM